An advertisement post for Buzz Bingo that contained cartoon Halloween imagery caught the attention of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the regulator in charge of advertising in the UK. The post appeared back in October on Buzz Bingo’s Facebook page, promoting a campaign that promised £50,000 ($63,000) on Mondays throughout the month.

The animated footage included a full moon on top of a scene with pumpkin heads grinning. Moreover, the ad featured a church, flying bats, a spider and a tombstone with a cross in a graveyard. The advertisement’s text read “MONSTER MONDAYS – £50,000 MUST BE WON EVERY MONDAY IN OCTOBER” and it was written with a font that resembled slime. Along with the text, the advertisement included the logo of Buzz Bingo and “18+ – BeGambleAware.org” details.

Scrutinizing Buzz Bingo’s ad, the ASA sought whether or not the cartoon imagery using a Halloween theme was likely to appeal to children. Currently, the advertising rules in the UK prohibit any gambling content to appeal to children. In other words, gambling operators cannot use imagery, characters or personas that are likely to appeal to underage individuals.

According to the ASA, Buzz Bingo “acknowledged the concern that the Halloween imagery could appeal to children.” However, the operator stated that the advertisement was promoted via its social media page on Facebook which was restricted to users under 18. Additionally, Buzz Bingo explained that the advertisement in question targeted only audiences who were 25 or older and had shown interest in bingo games. “They therefore believed they had acted and had taken precautions to prevent children and young people being exposed to the ad,” explained the advertising watchdog.

The ASA Upholds Its Decision against the Operator

Despite the actions taken by the operator, the ASA upheld its decision. According to the watchdog, the ad in question breached the CAP Code rules related to gambling, 16.1 and 16.3.12. Moreover, the ASA reiterated the section of the code which states that gambling marketing materials “must not be likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture.” It said that under the rules animated graphics or other similar content may “contribute to the impression that material was designed to appeal to under-18s.”

Upholding its decision, the ASA said that Buzz Bingo’s ad must not appear again in the form that was observed previously. Additionally, the advertising watchdog urged the operator not to use imagery or themes that are likely to appeal to underage individuals. Upon receiving the query of the ASA, Buzz Bingo voluntarily removed the aforementioned advertisement.

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Buzz Group, the group behind Buzz Bingo, has forayed into the world of online casino gaming with a new brand. The company just launched Buzz Casino, its first iGaming subsidiary. The newly-launched site will complement Buzz Group’s existing bingo business.

As announced, the new iGaming platform has been developed by Playtech, Buzz Group’s existing iGaming technology partner. The site will feature a selection of slots, table games and live casino offerings.

Buzz Casino is the logical continuation of the company’s growth journey. The company’s current form was formed in 2018. Since then, Buzz Group has been steadily expanding its business. However, its numerous retail bingo shops were dramatically impacted by the pandemic and the company is still struggling to rebound.

The launch of the new brand is in line with the company’s efforts to diversify its business. Before rolling out the new iGaming brand, for example, Buzz Group launched a live bingo streaming service.

Buzz Group continues its efforts to recover from the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, the company operated 91 bingo locations in Britain but was forced to close nine of them amid the pandemic.

Buzz Group Is Excited to Launch the New Brand

Dave Evans, Buzz Group’s digital operations director, commented on the launch, saying that his team is “really proud” to foray into the world of iGaming. According to him, this will cement his company as the best omnichannel operator of slots, casino games and bingo.

Casino is an important part of our product mix, and whilst bingo is still at the heart of our business, our players love to experience new content and spend their leisure time playing in different ways.

Dave Evans, digital operations director, Buzz Group

Evans added that the launch of an iGaming brand is but the latest part in the company’s journey as it continues to leverage over 50 years of experience to engage its players.

Laura Craddock, Buzz Group’s head of product management, also commented on the matter. She said that she feels very excited to bring a new product to the market, “especially one that brings all the fun of Buzz Bingo to the casino world.” Despite the similarities, the new site will adopt new principles, she noted.

Inspiration from the streaming video world has helped make content the focus of the UI, making it easy for players to find the games they love, in a fun and trusted environment they know they’ll get from a Buzz venue.

Laura Craddock, head of product management, Buzz Group

Last year, Buzz Bingo teamed up with the Stroke Association to provide survivors with a second chance at life.

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