The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has recently taken action against several social casino ads on TikTok, suggesting that players could win real-world money or tangible prizes. ASA found these claims misleading, as these particular social casinos do not offer real-money prizes. These rulings are part of a broader initiative ASA conducted in the UK to address concerns around gambling-like ads, following intelligence that prompted an investigation into such misleading promotional practices.
Specific cases of misleading advertising:
The ads in question were for the Billionaire Casino social casino app, which featured two distinct TikTok advertisements. The first ad depicted an individual claiming to have purchased a Tesla after saving money by playing at Billionaire Casino instead of a physical casino. This ad, alongside visuals of slot machine games and texts like “HUUUGE JACKPOT,” suggested that substantial real-world money could be won. The second ad promoted an in-game event with enhanced features and prizes, using phrases like “BIGGER PRIZES!” and “IMPROVED REWARDS!”, which could similarly mislead consumers into thinking these referred to real monetary winnings.
The ASA upheld the complaints against these ads, stating that the overall presentation could lead consumers to believe that real-world gains were achievable through gameplay. Huuuge Global Ltd, the operator of Billionaire Casino, defended their promotional content by asserting that the app was clearly a social casino platform where no real money or prizes could be won. They emphasized that the game’s mechanics and features were designed to be engaging without offering real-world gambling. Despite their explanations, the ASA ruled that the ads did not sufficiently clarify the nature of the winnings as purely virtual, which could potentially deceive players about the financial implications of participation.
TikTok’s involvement and advertising policies:
As reported in the ASA’s press release, TikTok, responding to the controversy, highlighted its advertising restrictions for social casino games, which prohibit content that equates social gaming to real gambling or suggests monetary earnings. The platform confirmed that the ads had been withdrawn for breaching these policies.
This incident is part of a series of actions taken by the ASA against misleading ads by social casino brands, including SpinX Games Ltd, Dataverse Co Limited, and others, which also faced bans for similar reasons. As iGaming Business reports, these companies were found to have violated the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code), particularly rules concerning misleading advertisements and the omission of material information.
The ASA has instructed Huuuge Global Ltd and other companies to ensure future advertisements do not imply that real-world money or tangible prizes can be won. This directive is aimed at maintaining clear distinctions between social casino apps and real gambling, ensuring that consumers are fully informed about what social casino games entail.