The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has issued a warning to bingo operator Mecca Bingo in relation to an Instagram post that breached the advertising code.
According to the ASA’s investigation, the post featured two images of celebrity drag queen Baga Chipz. One image showed the celebrity in plain clothes and not smiling while the next image showed them in full makeup, glamorous clothing and jewelry with a happy expression as they drank champagne. The images were accompanied by the text “Before playing Mecca Bingo vs after playing Mecca Bingo”.
The ASA received a complaint that the images suggested that gambling could improve a person’s self esteem and self image. The complaint alleged that this was an irresponsible attempt to market gambling products and services.
Mecca Response
In response to the complaint Mecca stated that the purpose of the ad was to convey that its services were fun and entertaining. It also stated that the use of the “before and after” metaphor and the reference to having a “post bingo glow” reflected how a person may feel after a night at Mecca Bingo.
ASA Ruling
However, the ASA ruled that Mecca’s ad breached the code as it clearly implied that an individual would achieve a higher self-image by playing bingo through the use of contrasting images. This suggests that gambling can improve a person’s self image and was irresponsible marketing.
The ASA issued a warning to Mecca Bingo about its future marketing efforts and ordered that the ad does not appear again.
Image credit: Kake / CC BY NC-SA 2.0
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.
