The United Kingdom’s advertising regulatory body, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), prohibited a promotion from the internet gaming platform 21.co.uk. The ASA determined that the 30-second advertisement, broadcast in March 2017, unduly emphasized skill in a blackjack game.
The advertisement featured a formally attired blackjack player deeply considering his wager as a voiceover declared: “His heartbeat accelerates. His physique remains motionless. He contemplates his hand as the cards are distributed. Intuition versus reason. Emotion versus intellect. He arrives at his decision. He dictates his fate.”
The ASA questioned if the advertisement was irresponsible, specifically the phrase “he owns his destiny,” suggesting that gambling relied on skill rather than chance. They also argued that the advertisement depicted gambling in an “intense situation.”
21.co.uk argued that blackjack is a strategic card game and that “owning your destiny” is a common expression referring to the beneficial effect practice can have on a player’s likelihood of success. However, the ASA still considered the advertisement irresponsible.
Moreover, while recognizing that the man did not exhibit “obvious physical strength,” the ASA upheld their second point. They reasoned that “viewers would interpret his demeanor as displaying mental fortitude or resilience in the context of him wagering all his chips, taking a significant risk in gambling.”
The UKs advertising watchdog rejected a grievance concerning a promotion that supposedly showed a male with enlarged pupils, implying the “mental excitement of a problem gambler.”
The regulatory body believed the man in the advertisement appeared calm and collected, not displaying any erratic conduct.
Nevertheless, the authority determined that the advertisement could not be broadcast again in its present format and suggested 21.co.uk refrain from placing excessive focus on the significance of tactics in its upcoming promotional materials.