Gambling operators ready for TV ads

[bigboydan]

Looks like the new laws kick in there this week. I'm curious just how much more business those books will actually get from the advertising.

Gambling operators ready for TV ads

Press Association
Sunday August 26, 2007 10:38 AM

Gambling operators are gearing up to advertise on television for the first time when new laws come into force this week

Casinos, betting shops and gambling websites can place TV commercials from September 1 onwards.

The change is part of the Gambling Act 2005 which brings with it a relaxation of current gambling advertising laws.

Operators remained tight-lipped about which if any firms would launch new publicity campaigns on September 1. But many do intend to start advertising on television at some point.

Their commercials will be subject to advertising rules policed by the Advertising Standards Authority.

In addition, gambling operators recently announced their own code of practice which sets out further restrictions - including a 9pm watershed.

A British Casino Association (BCA) spokesman said he was unaware of any individual casinos planning to advertise on TV in the short term, but added: "The BCA as an association is looking at the possibility of generic advertising in due course."

Clive Hawkswood, chief executive of the Remote Gambling Association which represents more than 30 website gambling operators, predicted that many of them would advertise on TV soon. "Most of them sponsor TV programmes and most of them will transfer that to television advertising," he said.

"Lots of the gambling companies and the broadcasters have been having a look at the advertising. Quite who will be the first to hit TVs and newspapers on September 1, I don't know."

John Shepherd, director of corporate communications at the website partygaming.com, predicted that some gambling firms would start advertising on TV on September 1 but refused to say when partygaming.com's publicity would launch. "We are going to advertise on TV but as to when and what, we not disclosing. I think that people will start straight away. I think you will probably see a slow build-up, and then you have got big events like the rugby world cup coming up which is where you will probably see a peak in advertising," he said.

[Jamie_UK]

"Looks like the new laws kick in there this week"

Is that in the USA Dan or is this just a rule for the free people of the United Kingdom?

[bigboydan]

Thats for the UK. The true home of the "land of the free" Jamie.

[Jamie_UK]

Thats for the UK. The true home of the "land of the free" Jamie.

Nice one Dan , maybe Yanks could request residence in the UK free state ? Bit like escaping Eastern Germany to join the free West?

But only as long as they promise to give up betting on daft sports like egg chasing, bouncy ball and hit ball with stick games?

[20Four7]

Looks like the new laws kick in there this week. I'm curious just how much more business those books will actually get from the advertising.

Is this really a big deal. In Canada we've had casino's advertising for a long time. Bowmans puts their logo in the middle of our football fields. Full Tilt, party, pokerstars all advertise their .net brands.

[BlackJack]

i saw a news article recently somewhere stating that the UK had banned advertising for offshore gambling......

[BlackJack]

Is this really a big deal. In Canada we've had casino's advertising for a long time. Bowmans puts their logo in the middle of our football fields. Full Tilt, party, pokerstars all advertise their .net brands.

oddly enough, Ontario recently banned advertising for offshore as well, but the law is having no effect, as mentioned, bowmans and many others are advertising their .net brands.....

Im also hearing ads for betonline.com on the radio (not .net, .com)

here is the law:

Ontario Passes Anti-Online Gambling Advertising Law
Friday December 15, 2006
The Province of Ontario has passed new consumer protection legislation that contains provisions prohibiting the advertising of Internet gambling sites. The provisions underwent important changes at committee (first reading, second reading after committee), however, so that the final bill looks somewhat different from the one that was introduced in the fall. When first introduced, the bill contained a blanket prohibition on advertising an "an Internet site that operates an internet gaming business contrary to the Criminal Code." The bill defined advertising as:

(a) the promotion by print, publication, broadcast, telecommunication or distribution by any means, of information intended to promote the use of an internet gaming business,

(b) self-promotion and a contract under which one person obtains the services of another to develop or distribute the advertisement,

(c) a link in a website intended to promote the use of an internet gaming business.

After committee, the bill contained some important changes.
While the blanket prohibition remains unchanged, the definition of advertising has been narrowed to instances where the advertising originates in Ontario or is primarily intended for Ontario residents. The effect of this change will be to exclude the vast majority of Internet gambling advertising, which neither originates in Ontario nor is primarily targeted at residents of the province. Moreover, the prohibition against linking has also been narrowed by excluding links "generated as the result of a search carried out by means of an internet search engine." In other words, Google and other search engines won't be liable for links to gambling sites generated through search queries.

So what gets covered by this law? Most Internet gambling sites are unaffected, unless they specifically target Ontario with their advertising. Instead, there are two obvious effects. Offline, it seems likely that Internet gambling newspaper and radio promotion, common in some newspapers and on sports radio stations, will disappear. Online, Internet search companies and websites will likely refuse advertisements that target Ontario. Such targeting may occur either by way of the promotion itself or by using geo-identifying technologies. This law may also capture Ontario bloggers and websites that focus on Internet gambling. Those sites won't be able to feature Internet gambling advertising and may even face liability for posting links to various gambling sites.

[BlackJack]

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's government dealt a blow to around a thousand gambling Web sites on Thursday after it banned them from advertising in the UK from September.
The government ruled that despite the firms having been granted licenses to run Internet poker and casino Web sites, the offshore countries they were based in did not have stringent enough regulations.
From September any online firm based in gaming hotspots such as Costa Rica, the Netherlands Antilles and Belize will not be able to market in the UK, which will prevent well-known sites including Betfred Casino and Littlewoodscasino.com from advertising online, on TV and in papers and magazines.
"I make no apology for banning adverts for websites operating from places that don't meet our strict standards," said Culture Media and Sport minister James Purnell.
Firms based in low-tax locations such as the Isle of Man and Alderney will be allowed to continue advertising, while countries within the European Economic Area such as Gibraltar, where 888.com and PartyGaming are based, are also not affected.
The government said it was still considering whether to give permission to firms based in Antigua and the native Indian-owned Kahnawake reserve in Canada, which keeps online giants like Antigua-based Bodog on hold.
Last year Britain voiced sympathy for Antigua in its legal battle with the United States after the U.S. effectively banned online gaming in October

http://www.reuters.com/article/inter...80937320070809

[20Four7]

I am aware of that law Blackjack but it didn't seem to stop anything outside of branding the .net brands instead of the .com brands. The funniest part is the amount the government spends on advertising OLG slots, fallsview, niagara and rama. Never mind the woodbine entertainment adds or the CNE casino adds.

But then again the Ontario Government probably believes every offshore bookie is simply a Nigerian official on the take.

[bigloser]

Thed information Reuters gave is misleading. To advertise in the UK the countries need to obtain approval. Costa Rica and Belize have so far failed to seek approval. I am sure that if CR did they would be approved, dont know about Belize.

[BlackJack]

I am aware of that law Blackjack but it didn't seem to stop anything outside of branding the .net brands instead of the .com brands. The funniest part is the amount the government spends on advertising OLG slots, fallsview, niagara and rama. Never mind the woodbine entertainment adds or the CNE casino adds.

But then again the Ontario Government probably believes every offshore bookie is simply a Nigerian official on the take.

the law seems to have no effect, like I said, betonline.com is advertising their .com business on the radio here

so is bowmans, but they advertise their .net business

[betplom]

Nice one Dan , maybe Yanks could request residence in the UK free state ? Bit like escaping Eastern Germany to join the free West?

But only as long as they promise to give up betting on daft sports like egg chasing, bouncy ball and hit ball with stick games?

Priceless!
LOL!

[betplom]

I am aware of that law Blackjack but it didn't seem to stop anything outside of branding the .net brands instead of the .com brands. The funniest part is the amount the government spends on advertising OLG slots, fallsview, niagara and rama. Never mind the woodbine entertainment adds or the CNE casino adds.

But then again the Ontario Government probably believes every offshore bookie is simply a Nigerian official on the take.

Good points 20Four! The Ontario government is not immune to Hypocrisy. How about the provincial "Pro-Line" garbage that I constantly see advertised on TV.