ASA Cracks Down on Play’n GO for Problematic Ads

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has taken action against three online gambling ads by supplier Play’n GO after determining that the imagery depicted could appeal to underage individuals. The regulator concluded that the ads violated the UK’s strict gambling promotion rules and ordered Play’n GO to remove the offending content immediately.

Colorful Animated Characters Could Appeal to Minors

The controversial advertisements appeared beside email inboxes, including those accessed by children. All three promotional images included colorful animated characters: a bunny superhero clutching Easter eggs, a robot DJ spinning records, and a trio of anime-style princesses. While the ads featured 18+ disclaimers and responsible gambling warnings, the ASA determined that the content was inappropriate.

According to ASA guidelines, gambling ads must not contain content with “strong appeal” to minors, like childlike animations, fantasy characters, or other imagery tied to youth culture. However, the authority noted that the Play’n GO promotions in question featured characters borrowing strong visual elements from content popular among children and teenagers.

Play’n GO believed the images were popular with adults and accepted that they could be appealing to children.

ASA statement

Play’n GO, a B2B software provider licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, argued that the characters belonged to popular game franchises targeting adults. The company noted that the ads were distributed via the AdRoll platform and only displayed on websites explicitly allowing gambling-related content. However, Play’n GO conceded that the promos may have reached children through shared devices or IP addresses.

Play’n GO Faced No Formal Penalty

The ASA concluded that the distribution safeguards, such as behavioral targeting and self-reported age verification, were insufficient to prevent exposure to minors. One of the most concerning aspects regarding these marketing materials was their presence adjacent to children’s inboxes. The authority was adamant that such a combination of factors made the ads highly irresponsible.

The regulator ruled that the three ads violated rules 16.1 and 16.3.12 of the CAP Code that governs marketing by gambling companies and affiliates. While the ASA did not impose any penalties, it ordered Play’n GO to take down the promotional materials and ensure that they do not reappear in their current form. The company must also carefully curate its future ads so that they do not appeal to individuals under 18.

The ads must not appear again in their current form. We told Play’n GO Malta Ltd not to include imagery that was likely to have a strong appeal to those under 18 years of age in their ads in the future.

ASA statement

This ruling is part of the ASA’s continuing efforts to limit children’s access to gambling advertising, particularly online. The authority also targets other potentially harmful content, such as ads that promote irresponsible gaming or feature heavy use of alcohol. Past rulings have demonstrated that the ASA is unafraid to go after high-profile names in the gambling sector, as it remains committed to protecting consumers.