The United Kingdom Advertising Standards Authority ASA tackles the growing number of complaints
The group has been tackling the growing number of complaints filed by vigilant consumers and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) against the raging gambling advertisements that have surged the media market.
The total complaints recorded in the last couple of months have been going up with the figure for 2021 being 43,325 which is the highest recorded so far.
The majority of the complaints recorded were only for online and TV gambling advertisements with the focus on fighting back and introducing strong rules on groups that issue them into the market. A happy note is that gambling advertisements have reduced, Advertisement Standard Authority ASA still sees the importance to sensitize underage gamblers and children which has reduced to a great extent since 2020.
Underaged Gambling Reduce As ASA Bring Tough Rules
The number of underage and children gamblers has reduced to about 6.9 but the eyes watching it believes that it can do more to tackle the problem and bring it to zero 0. According to CAP regulatory policy executive, Cherie Leung said exposing children to harmful advertisements including gambling and alcohol has reduced drastically across the region.
Cherie Leung noted that though children were in previous time exposed to alcohol ads than they were to gambling ads, and ASA needs to continue working on strict content restrictions via gambling advertisements.
The updated rule will be released in the coming months and will take effect from 1 October 2022. The updated rule will help further stop any lingering negative impacts on gambling advertisements. To achieve this, ASA will be solely focused on reducing advertisements that are proving harmful and in some cases appealing to children.
New Laws To Help Mitigate Gambling Advertisements
One thing that the advertisements would not be able to do is be aligned with the youth lifestyle. For instance, advertisements will not be allowed to contain images, themes, or characters that appeal to those under the regulator’s legal gambling age of eighteen years (18).
In real life, this will help reduce and restricts the imagery and produce gambling ads that will be allowed to display and this should decrease the potential for gambling advertisement to entice those under eighteen (18) years. CAP Regulatory Policy Executive Andy Taylor
Guy Parker ASA Chief Executive noted that technology is transforming every walk of life, and that includes the way the regulator monitors what ads are being pushed out and offered to consumers. ASA, Parker argues, is now equipped to better respond to challenges in the sector.
