888 Holdings is one of the most popular online casino brands in the world. The company has gained such a vast following partially due to its engaging advertisements. Unfortunately, one of 888’s latest ads has come under fire as it seems to the UK’s Advertising Standards Association that it appeals to underage players. The advertisement in question depicts Spiderman in a comic book art style on the casino’s website.
Although the ad has not aired on television or any other mass media outlets, the ASA noted that the ad could still be accessed by non-members of the site. “We acknowledged that Spider-Man appealed to some adults but considered that the depiction of the popular comic book character was likely to have particular appeal to children and young people,” reads a statement of the ASA.
“We told Cassava Enterprises (Gibraltar) Ltd, trading as, 888.com, not to use images that were likely to be of particular appeal to children or young people in future gambling ads.” The danger in featuring comic book characters in gambling ads is that young children may feel tempted to experience their favourite heroes in this capacity.
With the proliferation of social games on the internet, young people may think that the Spiderman pokies are targeted at them, without realizing that slots are adult activities. This is not the first time that 888 has been in trouble with the ASA. In March 2011, 888 posted an advertisement with the copy ‘Addicted to Slots?’, which did not go over well with the Advertising Standards Association.
The ASA felt that the ad was not only making light of gambling addiction but also using the compulsion the market 888’s products. The advertisement was also pulled. 888 is an online gambling provider that employs a great deal of responsible gambling measures, but it seems that the company still needs to work on its advertisements. In the future, it is likely that the company will be more careful with the types of ads it releases.
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