In many countries, the integrity of advertisements is becoming a big issue. Advertising regulators like the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) set out to ensure that advertisements truthfully portray the product they are advertising. In a recent report, the ASA concluded that an increasing number of gambling operators have been complying with its standards.
The number of complaints regarding gambling advertisements received by the ASA has been on the decline in recent years. In 2010, the ASA received 195 complaints, compared to 211 in 2009 and 262 in 2008. Since 2008, the number of gambling advertisements has increased, suggesting that advertising firms in the industry are becoming more aware of compliance rules.
796 ads were assessed by the ASA as part of the study. Of that 796, only 31 were likely to breach any compliance codes, giving the industry a compliance rate of 96.1%.
Of the 31 ads that were considered likely to breach advertising codes, 25 were created by just two different advertising agencies. They were flagged because they advertised free bets, but neglected to include any terms and conditions, which could be construed as misleading the customer.
Overall, the gambling industry performed well in the ASA’s study. There is always room for improvement, but casino operators seem to be miles ahead of advertisers in other industries.
