ASA to crackdown on betting sites that use 'cartoons and colours' to appeal to kids
Online gambling sites have been asked to remove ads that are likely to appeal to children as part of a joint clampdown from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and The Gambling Commission.
Betting shops could face sanctions if they don't take notice of the warning
Along with the Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Remote Gambling Association, the regulators have said "unacceptable" ads and third-party media containing colourful comics or cartoons which are likely to attract children should be removed or amended with urgency.
A four-page letter was sent to more than 450 online gambling operators on Friday, including the likes of William Hill, 888 and Bet 365, demanding the removal of promotional games which are likely to appeal to those aged under-18.
The letter notes: “The use of particular colours, cartoon and comic book images, animals, child and youth-orientated references and names of games such as Piggy Payout, Fluffy Favourites, Pirate Princess and Jack and the Beanstalk are likely, alone or in combination, to enhance appeal to under-18s.”
The warning from regulators has cautioned of possible sanctions should sites fail to comply with the CAP code, which requires marketing communications for gambling to be socially responsible.
The call follows on from a Sunday Times investigation which earlier this month found that some of Britain's biggest gambling operators were targeting children via their favourite cartoon and storybook. The operators were accused of exploiting a loophole in the rules which state games should not be promoted in a way that lures in children.
The industry denies deliberately targeting kids and says age-verification checks stop under-18s gambling online. According to the Times, William Hill has welcomed the move, but Bet365 has not responded to a request for comment. 888 said it was reviewing the letter.
Data from Neilsen, recently found that children are increasingly coming into contact with gambling ads, noting that ad spend for the sector hit £312m in 2016; up 63% on the comparable figure for 2012.
A separate investigation from the Times in May of last year revealed that Twitter users under the age of 18 who follow popular sports accounts were being "bombarded" by gambling ads.