In The News

Gaming Ads Breach Codes

More than one in 10 TV commercials for gambling operators breached the advertising code, a report says. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is "concerned" about the breaches, its report says. Six out of 56 television adverts for gambling services did not comply with the advertising code.

Five of them broke the rules because they could have particular appeal to children and young people, the ASA's Gambling Compliance Survey 2007 report says. Four of these were for online casino and poker sites and one for an online gambling supermarket.

The sixth TV advert was for a bingo service which broke the TV code because it seemed to suggest gambling could improve self-image or self-esteem and achieve financial security, the report says.

Another one out of 344 online adverts checked by the ASA's compliance team was found in breach.

That internet advert for an online casino and poker service broke the code by appearing to link gambling with sexual seduction or success.

"We are concerned that six of the gambling product advertisements that appeared on TV did not comply," the ASA's Gambling 2007 report says.

None of the advertisers found in breach are named in the ASA's report. Four of the six TV commercials related to the same advertiser.

The ASA's compliance team monitored 784 adverts across press, TV, radio, internet, direct mail and posters. It found the six TV commercials and one online advert had breached advertising rules.

Most of the ASA's survey was carried out between September 1 and October 31 to assess the compliance rate of gambling adverts with advertising rules. Monitoring of press, magazines and internet pop-up adverts was limited to one week only "because of the high volume of gambling adverts", the report says.