UK Online Casino Is under Scrutiny by the ASA over Misleading Promotion

Online gambling operators have been under scrutiny by UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and now, casino sites are facing a crackdown after ASA’s investigation into “hot or cold” games. The Guardian reports that the regulator will uphold a complaint about an irresponsible and misleading feature.

PlayOJO Casino Is under Asa’s Fire

PlayOJO Casino, which is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, is under ASA’s fire. This casino site is operated by SkillOnNet Ltd and according to the Guardian, the regulator will uphold a seven-month-old complaint against the platform.

The complaint was filed over a feature that gave players a chance to check out the “games on winning streaks.” PlayOJO’s website stated that players can switch between hot or cold to see which games are the most profitable in the last hour. The site also stated that the list was updated every 5 minutes.

Moreover, this feature was advertised via TV as the ad had a tarot reader that gave customers advice while using the PlayOJO mobile app.

PlayOJO commented on the issue and stated that no request has been made to remove the hot or cold feature. However, the casino noted that a few tweaks to the marketing process are in the making and hence, the promotional pages have been removed.

Asa Is Yet to Make a Final Decision

A draft version of ASA’s recommendation has been obtained by the Guardian, but the regulator is yet to make a final decision. The draft suggests that the complaint will be upheld as the promoted feature was misleading, as well as irresponsible.

If the ruling is confirmed, it will affect whether operators will be able to exploit the so-called “gambler’s fallacy,” a false notion that claims that previous events may have an effect on future events.

Gambling operators in the UK are under close watch. The standards of the gambling industry here are extremely high and numerous organizations want to make sure that they maintain that level. Due to the fact that some regulations are considered to be outdated and the government is preparing itself for the long-awaited review of the Gambling Act 2005. 

In the wake of the review, a lengthy report, commissioned by the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling, found that gambling staff is not trained properly when it comes to spotting problem gamblers.

This report was branded as a “wake-up call” for the gambling industry and Tom Watson, Labor deputy leader, branded it as “shocking.” According to the report, not only is staff poorly trained, but it also considers the measures connected to problem gambling as irrelevant.

Additionally, the report found that responsible gambling messages are placed in areas where customers cannot see them and staff reinforces false beliefs about slot lucky numbers.

Mark Etches, the chief executive of GambleAware, stated that this is a clear wake-up call for the industry and all sectors need to make sure that the staff and customers know where to seek help if they need it.