The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) recently issued decisions on two separate gambling advertisements, resulting in contrasting outcomes. A complaint against Play’n GO Malta was upheld, while a similar complaint against Mecca Bingo was dismissed.
Three Play’n GO banner advertisements, delivered through the Adroll programmatic platform in April 2025, were the subject of the first ruling. These ads showcased characters deemed highly appealing to children under 18, including a cartoon superhero Easter bunny, a robot DJ, and anime-style princesses. The ASA determined that this imagery violated CAP Code rules 16.1 and 16.3.12, which explicitly prohibit gambling advertisements from strongly appealing to minors, particularly through the use of youth-oriented themes.
Despite the presence of 18+ age restrictions and responsible gambling messages, the ads’ placement alongside children’s email inboxes raised concerns. The ASA concluded that the employed targeting methods, relying on self-reported age and behavioral data, proved insufficient to prevent exposure to underage viewers.
Conversely, the ASA dismissed a complaint concerning a Facebook post by Mecca Bingo. This post used emojis to create a film quiz challenging users to identify Tom Hanks movies. While the complainant argued that the cartoonish emojis could attract children, the ASA found the content lacked significant appeal to those under 18.
The post was identified as unpaid advertising, specifically targeting the Mecca Bingo (Luton) page’s audience. Meta data indicated that the majority of this audience was over 25 years old. The ASA further reasoned that the emojis, while diverse, were contextually integrated into an adult-oriented film puzzle, lacking a direct connection to youth culture.
Consequently, no further action was taken against Mecca Bingo. However, the ASA directed Play’n GO to refrain from using child-appealing imagery in future advertising unless demonstrably robust age-verification measures are implemented to ensure exclusive targeting of adults.
