The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) recently took action against several social casino advertisements on TikTok, which suggested that players could win real-world money or tangible prizes. ASA found these claims to be misleading as these particular social casinos do not offer real money prizes. These rulings are part of a broader initiative by ASA in the UK aimed at addressing concerns about gambling-related advertisements, following intelligence that prompted an investigation into such misleading promotional practices.
Specific cases of misleading advertisements:
The advertisements in question were for the social casino app Billionaire Casino, which included two different TikTok ads. In the first ad, a user claimed they saved money by playing games at Billionaire Casino instead of a physical casino and bought a Tesla. This ad featured slot machine visuals and phrases like "huge jackpot," implying that players could win substantial real-world money. The second ad promoted an in-game event with enhanced features and prizes, using phrases like "bigger prizes!" and "higher rewards!" which could also mislead consumers into thinking these referred to actual monetary rewards.
The Advertising Standards Authority supported the complaints against these ads, stating that the overall presentation could lead consumers to believe that playing the games could result in real-world earnings. Huuuge Global Ltd, the operator of Billionaire Casino, defended their promotional content, claiming that the app is clearly a social casino platform and does not offer real money or prizes. They emphasized that the game's mechanics and features are designed to engage players, not to provide real-world gambling. Despite their explanations, ASA ruled that the ads did not adequately clarify that the prizes were purely virtual, which could deceive players about the financial impact of participation.
TikTok's involvement and advertising policy:
According to an ASA press release, TikTok emphasized its restrictions on advertisements for social casino games in response to the controversy, prohibiting content that equates social gaming with real gambling or implies monetary gains. The platform confirmed that these ads were withdrawn for violating these policies.
This incident is part of a series of actions taken by ASA against misleading advertisements by social casino brands, including SpinX Games Ltd, and Dataverse Co Limited, which were also banned for similar reasons. According to iGaming Business, these companies were found to have violated the UK's Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing Code (CAP Code), particularly regarding misleading advertisements and omission of important information.
ASA has directed Huuuge Global Ltd and other companies to ensure that future advertisements do not imply that real-world money or tangible prizes can be won. This directive aims to clearly differentiate social casino apps from real gambling, ensuring consumers fully understand the nature of social casino games.
