Fluffy animals betting ad was irresponsible, says guard dog

28 October 2020

A gaming advert which featured fluffy animals has actually been prohibited after being branded "reckless" by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The video advertisement for Gala Spins - part of the FTSE 100-listed gambling giant GVC Holdings - included five toy animals.

The ASA ruled the ad "was most likely to be of particular appeal to under-18s" and for that reason "the ad was reckless".

The owner of Gala Spins stated it had actually eliminated the advert from all its channels.

The paid-for Facebook post in August included a video caption reading "it's a rollercoaster of cuteness" and a video revealing "fluffy favourite" toy animals.

It prompted a grievance to the marketing guard dog that the content of the advert was likely to interest children.

The ASA concurred and said: "Gambling advertisements should not be likely to be of particular interest children or young adults, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture.

"We considered that the ad was likely to be of specific attract under-18s and therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible and breached the yohaig code [marketing] bet9ja promotion code yohaig."

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Gala Spins said it posted the video including packed animals in mistake which it was an obsolete video.

It stated its designated target market was females aged in between 18 and 65 thinking about betting.

Gala Spins was censured by the watchdog 2 years ago for linking gambling and ability in an advert.

Among its TV advertisements featured a guy playing on his tablet with a voiceover recommending: "Try it now and see if you've got the skill."

The ASA ruled that the line "see if you have actually got the skill" was efficiently an invitation to bet online in the context of the advertisement, and for that reason implied that audiences might utilize ability to improve their possibilities of winning.

Gala Spins becomes part of 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 brand names, including Bwin, Coral, Crystalbet, Eurobet, Ladbrokes, Neds International and Sportingbet.

It likewise owns a series of games business including CasinoClub, Foxy Bingo, Gala, Gioco Digitale, Partypoker and PartyCasino.

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