Fluffy Animals Gambling ad Was Irresponsible, Says Watchdog

Fluffy animals betting advertisement was careless, states guard dog

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28 October 2020

A gambling advert which included fluffy animals has actually been banned after being branded "careless" by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The video ad for Gala Spins - part of the yohaig code FTSE 100-listed gaming giant GVC Holdings - included five toy animals.

The ASA ruled the advertisement "was likely to be of specific appeal to under-18s" and for that reason "the advertisement was irresponsible".

The owner of Gala Spins said it had actually gotten rid of the yohaig code 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 complaint to the advertising guard dog that the content of the advert was most likely to interest children.

The ASA concurred and stated: "Gambling ads must not be likely to be of specific appeal to children or young adults, specifically by reflecting or being related to youth culture.

"We thought about that the advertisement was likely to be of particular attract under-18s and therefore concluded that the ad was reckless and breached the [marketing] special code yohaig."

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Gala Spins stated it posted the video including stuffed animals in error and that it was an out-of-date video.

It stated its desired target market was ladies aged in between 18 and 65 interested in gambling.

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

One of its TV ads featured a guy playing on his tablet with a voiceover suggesting: "Try it now and see if you've got the skill."

The ASA ruled that the yohaig code line "see if you've got the talent" was successfully an invitation to gamble online in the context of the advertisement, and therefore indicated that viewers might utilize ability to enhance 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.

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 also owns a variety of games companies including CasinoClub, Foxy Bingo, Gala, Gioco Digitale, Partypoker and PartyCasino.