Pizza Hut in the UK has been criticized for a promotion that offers free spins at an online casino to customers ordering takeout.
This controversial offer promises up to 300 free spins at an online casino without a deposit, drawing criticism from gambling harm activists and politicians.
The promotion targets online pizza buyers, with advertisements stating: "No deposit required! Claim your free spins now!" Activists have expressed outrage, noting a correlation between online casino games and higher rates of gambling addiction.
Gambling harm activist Anne Ashton condemned the promotion. "The recklessness of this Pizza Hut promotion is shocking—offering hundreds of free spins in addictive casino games without knowing if these individuals are recovering from gambling addiction is not only careless but also dangerous," she said.
"Free spins can quickly lead to addiction for anyone who has played multiple times. Pizza Hut needs to end this promotion immediately to prevent any potential loss of life," Ashton added.
Former Conservative Party leader Ian Duncan Smith also criticized the campaign, highlighting the need for stricter regulation of gambling advertising. "This further proves how out of control gambling advertising has become. Even ordering a pizza can't escape being marketed online casino products," said Smith, who chairs a parliamentary group concerned with gambling harms.
The promotion, now discontinued, was conducted in collaboration with Free Spins Loops, a casino promotion brand under Quantum International Holdings' Digital Adventures.
According to a spokesperson for Digital Adventures, the advertisement was deployed through a third-party programmatic network, which included age restriction measures. "These display locations were controlled by an external programmatic network that had built-in over-18 age protection features," the spokesperson explained. "The involved advertisement was briefly online at the end of November and was proactively removed on November 28, never to go online again."
The company did not specify whether it or Pizza Hut profited from customers clicking on the promotional information and losing money gambling. Yum! Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut, has not yet commented on the matter.
As this incident unfolds, the UK government is preparing to implement stricter regulations on online gambling, including limiting stakes on digital slot games to £5 ($6.3) or limiting stakes for players under 25 to £2 ($2.5).
Additionally, the government is planning to levy a £100 million ($127 million) annual tax on the gambling industry.
However, the measures proposed by the Labour Party do not include new restrictions on gambling advertising. The Labour Party has not yet clarified its stance on marketing regulation. Activists believe that without stricter advertising controls, promotions like this could continue to pose risks to vulnerable groups.
