The UKs Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has cautioned gambling firms that the vast majority of their “content marketing” communications are categorized as marketing and must adhere to its regulations, although it recognized that exceptions do exist.
The ASA cautioned that its rules apply to the “vast majority” of content marketing. The ASA stated that research revealed there was confusion about whether its rules applied to gambling operators’ social media “content marketing.” The ASA stated that such content “does not explicitly promote the brand, but aims to ignite interest in its products or services.”
The regulatory body noted this posed a challenge because the ASA regulates advertising but has no authority to intervene in editorial content.
The ASA stated: “Gambling social media accounts sometimes contain content that resembles editorial style, such as commentary or opinions on recent events, or more abstract humor, such as ‘memes’ and other nonsensical takes on current sporting news.” “Researchers described this as ‘content marketing’ where there are no direct product mentions, calls to action, or links to the operator’s website.”
Although the ASA acknowledges that most content marketing efforts are geared towards promoting products or services, thus falling under its regulatory purview, it also recognizes that some social media content may not be subject to its enforcement. This is because such content may not be directly linked to the provision of gambling products.
The ASA explains that this is likely due to the absence of any significant references, either explicit or implicit, to gambling products.
For content that falls within its jurisdiction, the ASA emphasizes that the rules governing gambling advertising remain applicable. These rules stipulate that gambling advertising should not target individuals under the age of 18, should not feature individuals under 25 as the primary characters, should not promote irresponsible gaming, and should not be particularly appealing to children or young people.
The final rule will be modified to a stricter “strong appeal” standard, which will prohibit the use of characters popular among children, even if they are more popular among adults.
The ASA states that it will continue to assess complaints received regarding social media advertising on a case-by-case basis.
The ASA further clarifies that in instances where complaints concerning operator social media are deemed to be outside its purview, they will be forwarded to the Gambling Commission.