Microgaming Slots Targeted by UK Gambling Authority
Online casinos carrying games by Microgaming and other online casino software groups were sent a warning letter by the UK gambling authority, following an investigation by the Sunday Times.
The newspaper piece, which leaned strongly towards sensationalization, claimed that many slot games created by software groups were very appealing to children. It also claimed that software groups were using these familiar images in their marketing in order to attract children under the age of 18.
As such, the UK Gambling Commission, the Advertising Standards Authority, the Remote Gambling Association and the Committee of Advertising Practice, sent a joint letter to 450 operators in the UK.
No operator was singled out in the letter, however the names of several slots were given as an example of child or youth oriented games.
Demand to Remove Gambling Ads
The UKGC letter required that operators "amend or remove immediately any ads" on their websites or via third party media which is likely to appeal to people under 18 years of age, and that is "generally available to view".
"This relates particularly to freely accessible ads for play-for-free and play-for-money games and includes all graphics and images displayed on a website or in third party media," reads the letter.
"Recent articles in the UK national press have highlighted a number of freely accessible ads on gambling operator websites, which feature images that are likely to appeal particularly to under 18s," it reads. "This is unacceptable. Gambling operators are required by the UK Advertising Codes and the conditions of their Gambling Commission license to advertise responsibly with particular regard to the protection of under 18s and others who are vulnerable to being harmed or exploited by gambling advertising."
Threat of "Consequences" by Authority
The UKGC letter warns operators that they have to immediately amend or remove any freely accessible ads on their websites that are likely to appeal particularly to under 18s.
"If gambling operators cannot or will not bring their advertising into line with the Code [CAP Code to protect children and young people from being exploited by gambling], the CAP Compliance team has various sanctions available to it and will consider applying these if we continue to see gambling ads that have particular appeal to under 18s," reads the letter.