Fluffy animals betting ad was careless, says guard dog
28 October 2020
A gaming advert which featured fluffy animals has actually been banned after being branded "careless" by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
the yohaig code video advertisement for Gala Spins - part of the yohaig code FTSE 100-listed gambling giant GVC Holdings - included 5 toy animals.
The ASA ruled the ad "was most likely to be of particular interest under-18s" and for that reason "the ad was careless".
The owner of Gala Spins stated it had gotten rid of the advert from all its channels.
The paid-for Facebook post in August featured a video caption reading "it's a rollercoaster of cuteness" and a video showing "fluffy favourite" toy animals.
It prompted a complaint to the marketing watchdog that the content of the advert was likely to interest children.
The ASA agreed and stated: "Gambling advertisements must not be most likely to be of particular interest kids or young adults, especially by reflecting or being related to youth culture.
"We considered that the yohaig code advertisement was likely to be of specific appeal to under-18s and for that reason concluded that the advertisement was irresponsible and breached the [marketing] this promotion code."
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Gala Spins said it published the video featuring stuffed animals in mistake and that it was an out-of-date video.
It said its intended target market was ladies aged in between 18 and 65 thinking about gambling.
Gala Spins was censured by the guard dog two years ago for linking betting and skill in an advert.
One of its TV advertisements included a man playing on his tablet with a voiceover recommending: "Try it now and see if you've got the talent."
The ASA ruled that the line "see if you've got the skill" was effectively an invite to gamble online in the context of the ad, and therefore suggested that audiences could utilize skill to enhance their possibilities of winning.
Gala Spins belongs to Gibraltar-based LC International which in turn is owned by GVC Holdings, which bought Ladbrokes Coral in 2018.
In 2015, GVC processed ₤ 11.2bn-worth of sports wagers through its various brands, consisting of Bwin, Coral, Crystalbet, Eurobet, Ladbrokes, Neds International and Sportingbet.
It also owns a variety of games companies consisting of CasinoClub, Foxy Bingo, Gala, Gioco Digitale, Partypoker and PartyCasino.
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