ASA Prohibits Misleading Social Casino Advertisements

Five Companies Penalized for Deceptive Ads

The ASA took action against Dataverse (operating as Gamehaus), Huuuge Global (known as Billionaire Casino), Mobee Co (trading as Ignite Classic Slots), SpinX Games, and Zeroo Gravity Games (operating as Cash Tornado). These companies ran paid ads on TikTok that implied users could win real-world rewards, a claim that was found to be false.

The advertisements suggested that players could obtain actual money or physical prizes through social casino games. However, these games mimic casino activities like slot machines without offering real monetary rewards. The ASA clarified that no real-world money or prizes can be won or withdrawn from these apps.

By failing to disclose the non-monetary nature of their games, the advertisers misled consumers into believing they could win tangible rewards. This breach is part of the ASA’s broader investigation into gambling-like advertisements following concerns about misleading practices in the industry.

Mandatory Changes and Continued Oversight

The five companies are now required to adjust their advertising strategies to comply with the ASA’s standards. The banned ads are prohibited from appearing in their current form. The ASA will continue to monitor this area closely to ensure that future advertisements clearly communicate the true nature of such games.

In July 2024, the ASA upheld a complaint against William Hill, one of the UK’s largest bookmakers, for not clearly communicating significant terms related to its welcome bonus offer. The ads omitted essential details about excluded payment methods, which the ASA deemed misleading. William Hill was instructed to amend its future marketing materials to ensure greater transparency.