ASA Boss Wants to work with Gambling Operators in controlling Gambling Ads to vulnerable players

Speaking at yesterday’s ISBA conference, the CEO of the Advertising Standards Association (ASA) Guy Parker said that the gambling industry must do more to stop targeting vulnerable gamblers in their advertising.

Mr Parker said, “One of the concerns we have is that gambling operators are using technology to target gambling ads and marketing at people that might be at risk of developing problem gambling behaviours.

“We and others, through the Gambling Commission, are focusing on flipping that so gambling operators are held to account to use technology to target ads away from people that might be vulnerable, away from children.”

The boss of the ASA did point out that is only a small percentage of operators doing this, however Mr Parker was also concerned that any government regulations to stamp this out could cause more difficulties than good.

He said the ASA would rather work with the Gambling Commission and operators to self-regulate rather than impose statutory regulations that may not work. He said, “Statutory regulation is all very well, but I know very well from my experience at Ofcom and the CMA [Competition and Markets Authority, where he was also chairman] it is a good deal slower. And if you actually want to use your statutory powers to enforce, you have to be absolutely meticulous in the way you go through the processes. We can rely on the self-regulatory system and effective action of industry to act quicker.”