Online betting firms targeting children
Children as young as six are being targeted by major online gambling operators, Britain’s advertising watchdog has found. The Advertising Standards Authority created seven online identities to impersonate the browsing habits of children as young as six. Over two weeks, the regulator found more than 150 incidents of gambling adverts targeting users on 11 children’s websites. They featured colouring-in pages, traditional stories for children and homework resources.
CHILDREN as young as six are being targeted by major online gambling operators, Britain’s advertising watchdog has found.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) created seven online identities to impersonate the browsing habits of children as young as six. Over two weeks, the regulator found more than 150 incidents of gambling adverts targeting users on 11 children’s websites.
They featured downloadable colouring-in pages, traditional stories for children, dressing-up games and online homework resource sites.
The ASA worked with Advertising Intelligence, a data analytics company, to create the children’s profiles, which were repeatedly targeted by 23 adverts from gambling companies.
Investigators visited different websites twice a day and collected data on the 10,754 times that they were served with adverts across 24 websites. They quickly identified 43 gambling companies operating online, with Netent Product, Multilotto UK, Evoke Gaming, Platinum Gaming and Skill On Net, said to have been targeting children.
The brands involved included Vikings Video Slot, Redbet, Multilotto, Unibet and Skill on Net.
The ASA said the gambling operators have accepted their adverts broke the rules and were told to take down the adverts immediately.
In most instances, the ASA was told the problem was due to errors by thirdparty companies promoting the campaigns on behalf of the operators.
Dr Alan Smith, the Bishop of St Albans, said the investigation shows the “clock is now ticking” for gambling companies to act and that they should be regulated by the Government if they are “not capable of regulating themselves”. He said: “This is another example of where it appears gambling companies are flouting the law.”
New rules introduced by the Gambling Commission last year mean that betting companies could face tougher action, including financial penalties, if they are found to be repeatedly breaking advertising rules.
Guy Parker, chief executive of the ASA, said: “This new monitoring capability delivers on our commitment to having more impact online. It’s already allowed us to spot a problem with a small number of gambling operators and take quick and effective action to ensure children are protected.”
The advertising watchdog is looking to extend the technology to sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter to monitor exposure to online adverts for unhealthy foods and alcohol. It comes amid The Daily Telegraph campaign for a statutory duty of care to force social media firms to protect children from online harms.
The Gambling Commission said it is introducing tougher identity and age check rules for online operators.
Jeremy Wright, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, said: “This is an excellent example of how technology can play a pivotal role in tackling online harms, and I congratulate the ASA on this innovative approach to ensure that rules to protect children from online gambling advertising are enforced.”