In the United Kingdom, four online sports betting firms could soon reportedly face stiff fines from the Gambling Commission regulator after being found guilty by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) watchdog of running advertisements on their websites that “targeted vulnerable people”.
The ASA ruled that operators 888 UK Limited, Bonne Terre Limited, Casumo Services Limited and Ladbrokes Betting and Gaming Limited had permitted affiliates to place the advertisements, which were disguised as genuine news articles, in breach of the non-broadcast advertising code. (READ SO: SLOVAKIA WILL GIVE NO MORE INCHES BANNING ONLINE SPORTS BETTING)
“William took to Facebook one night in the hospital lobby to update his friends and family on his wife’s health,” reportedly read the infringing advertisement. “A little tired and admittedly a bit repressed, William stumbled upon an ad for Sky Vegas.
With little to no money to spend he admits he laughed and almost scrolled past it until he saw they were offering a promotion that would reward him with £10 free at the Jackpot 7 game, which at over £700,000 was too hard to pass up.”
The ASA reportedly ruled that the advertisement had been “socially irresponsible” because it had suggested that gambling “could provide an escape from personal problems such as depression and that it could be a solution to financial concerns”.
