The Advertising Authority’s New Code

The Advertising Authority in New Zealand has unveiled new restrictions for gambling advertisements. The newly published codes aim to protect the youth and other vulnerable groups in society

from harm that may be inflicted by the gambling industry. The new restrictions will cover all kinds of advertisements across all platforms across the gambling industry as a whole. The Advertising Authority stated that although the information on the new restrictions has already been made public, the restrictions will come into effect on August 5th, 2019. According to the new regulation constructed by the Advertising Authority, along with other stakeholders, casino operators and advertising agencies will then have to ensure that by November 4th all advertisements comply with the policy.

The Advertising Authority’s new regulation states that gambling industry advertisements must include an element of social responsibility. As previously reported, the purpose of the regulation is to protect the youth. In relation to this, the Advertising Authority has stipulated that all advertisements and campaigns relating to the gambling industry must not be aimed at any youth from 18 and under.  The Advertising Authority’s Chief Executive, Hilary Scouter, stated that consistency and relevance remain crucial in all the regulations and codes for ASA to ensure an element of responsible advertising.

New Codes Explained

Part of the new code set by the Advertising Authority is that advertisements should not portray material that encourages gambling by exaggerating the prize of the winnings or stating that it may improve a person’s financials. The information in the advertisement needs to be clear and precise; consumers must not be misled or exploited for having little knowledge regarding the industry.  Consumers need to be aware of what the financial implication could be when they decide to gamble. The industry should be glamourized.

The time at which these advertisements and marketing campaigns appear on TV and Radio must be taken into account in accordance with these codes by the Advertising Authority. They should not look or appear least when the youth and children are the primary audiences. Another part of the new regulations states that the advertisements must not imply that a consumer’s skill in the area can contribute towards the outcome.

The purpose of the new regulations is to ensure fairness towards consumers, not to cripple the gambling industry; therefore you will still see more gambling adverts that are more responsible and considerate of their customers.