Fluffy Animals Gambling ad Was Irresponsible, Says Watchdog

Fluffy animals gambling ad was irresponsible, states guard dog

28 October 2020

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

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

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

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 revealing "fluffy favourite" toy animals.

It prompted a problem to the advertising guard dog that the content of the advert was likely to attract children.

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

"We considered that the ad was likely to be of particular attract under-18s and for that reason concluded that the advertisement was careless and breached the [marketing] promotional code yohaig."

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Gala Spins said it posted the video featuring stuffed animals in mistake and that it was an obsolete video.

It stated its designated target audience was females aged between 18 and 65 thinking about gaming.

Gala Spins was censured by the guard dog two years ago for linking gaming and ability in an advert.

Among its TV advertisements featured a male playing on his tablet with a voiceover suggesting: "Try it now and see if you have actually got the talent."

the yohaig code ASA ruled that the yohaig code line "see if you've got the skill" was effectively an invitation to gamble online in the context of the ad, and therefore indicated that audiences could utilize skill to improve their possibilities of winning.

Gala Spins is 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 various brands, including Bwin, Coral, Crystalbet, Eurobet, Ladbrokes, Neds International and Sportingbet.