Britain's Advertising Authority Exposes Manipulative Features

Great Britain's advertising regulator lodged a complaint against PlayOJO in 2021. Reports indicate that the Advertising Standards Authority plans to uphold its findings that implicate the platform. If the ASA confirms the ruling, all igaming operators face scrutiny relating to misleading advertising. 

PlayOJO, a subsidiary of the Maltese provider SkillOnNet Ltd, operates under a licence from the UK Gambling Commission and promoted games based on superstitious practices, according to the complaint. Sources report that the ASA's draft ruling explains how PlayOJO invited players to choose their destiny and play hot or cold games on the platform. 

PlayOJO subsequently announced updates to address specific concerns; although the regulator did not request for deletion of these pages, it is not available to users at this point. According to an ASA spokesperson, the company does not comment on individual cases. 

 Playing on Superstitious Beliefs 

Players who entered the lobby of PlayOJO's platform in September 2021 could view a list of games on the platform's 'hot and cold' list. Games marked with red or blue flames formed part of the tracked titles, and those on a winning streak in the last hour were hot with the losing games on the cold list. 

The ASA filed a complaint and investigation seven months ago on the premise that the protocol is irresponsible and plays on gambler's superstitions. SkillOnNet and PlayOJO explain they launched the feature to enhance the gambling experience by pointing out winning and losing games. The provider argues this type of marketing allows punters to base their wagers on data. 

UK's advertising commission argues the strategy relies on the controversial gambler's fallacy. Many punters hold on to the erroneous belief that the likelihood of winning depends on previous outcomes.  

Also known as the Monte Carlo Fallacy, this belief leads gamblers to bet on a certain outcome, like a number the roulette ball hasn't dropped on in a while. The ASA accuses the operator in question of exploiting this superstition. 

 Fortune Telling 

Reports cite the website as telling players the hot and cold indicators pointed toward the most and least profitable games from the last hour and that they update the list every 5 minutes. Suggestions included choosing a hot game or trying out a cold game to see if they can change the luck on the losing titles. The marketing campaign included a TV advertisement where a tarot card reader secretly used PlayOJO's platform to predict a customer's fortune. 

PlayOJO stands accused of employing misleading and irresponsible strategies to engage players. If the ASA upholds the findings, marketing for online casinos may come under more rigorous scrutiny. This follows heavier protocols introduced by the regulator earlier this month to protect underaged British citizens from gambling exposure. 

 UKGC and ASA Work Toward Responsible Marketing Laws 

SkillOnNet and PlayOJO argue that the practice is above board and believe the ASA may yet find the same. Industry experts recently uncovered that a lack of training and poor systems cause operators to enable gambling harm or miss the opportunity to step in timeously. Intentional or not, triggering superstitious beliefs could lead to problematic gambling behaviour. 

Regardless of the ruling, the advertising regulations for UK gambling platforms will tighten over the next few months. The industry and region await the outcome of the behindhand Gambling Review from the UK Government, but events like this questionable marketing debacle point to the urgency of updated laws.