Fluffy animals betting advertisement was careless, says guard dog
28 October 2020
A gaming advert which included fluffy animals has been prohibited after being branded "irresponsible" by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The video advertisement for Gala Spins - part of the FTSE 100-listed gambling giant GVC Holdings - featured 5 toy animals.
The ASA ruled the ad "was likely to be of specific appeal to under-18s" and for that reason "the advertisement was careless".
The owner of Gala Spins said it had removed 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 showing "fluffy favourite" toy animals.
It prompted a complaint to the advertising watchdog that the content of the advert was likely to interest kids.
The ASA agreed and stated: "Gambling advertisements must not be likely to be of specific appeal to kids or young adults, particularly by reflecting or being related to youth culture.
"We considered that the advertisement was most likely to be of specific interest under-18s and for that reason concluded that the ad was careless and breached the [advertising] bet9ja promotion code yohaig."
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Gala Spins stated it posted the video including stuffed animals in error and that it was an obsolete video.
It said its intended target market was ladies aged between 18 and 65 interested in gaming.
Gala Spins was censured by the guard dog 2 years ago for connecting gaming and skill in an advert.
Among its TV advertisements featured a man playing on his tablet with a voiceover suggesting: "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 efficiently an invitation to gamble online in the context of the ad, and for that reason suggested that viewers might utilize skill to enhance their chances of winning.
Gala Spins becomes part of Gibraltar-based LC International which in turn is owned by GVC Holdings, which purchased Ladbrokes Coral in 2018.
Last year, GVC processed ₤ 11.2bn-worth of sports wagers through its numerous brands, consisting of Bwin, Coral, Crystalbet, Eurobet, Ladbrokes, Neds International and Sportingbet.
It likewise owns a series of games companies consisting of CasinoClub, Foxy Bingo, Gala, Gioco Digitale, Partypoker and PartyCasino.
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