#Ad Compliance

[Pokerface]

Curious to know how everyone is complying with the #Ad requirement for the UK. How is this being applied? Just websites? Social Media?

Reading the papers it is not very clear.

Thanks

[allfreechips]

I implemented a way to restrict some casinos from certain GEO's, some casinos I just removed as they didn't convert really as well. Almost considering eliminating all UK traffic as I don't see much return on it anyway.

[casinoportal]

I haven't got round to doing anything yet, I have checked a couple of the big affiliates site and neither have they. So far I have only seen 1 affiliate site using the new #AD on their reviews. Although Excel are doing compliance checks, they emailed me on Christmas eve asking for all url's where I promote their brands, then a snotty email from them today telling me it's urgent and to respond.

[Fortune Palace]

I just went 'belt and braces' and put it on any button that links through to a casino.

Tables and lists were slightly harder to do, but I've just put "GET BONUS (#ad 18+)" as the column header, rather than inside the 'Play' buttons.

It's ugly, but not as ugly as including terms and conditions everywhere a bonus is mentioned. I suspect visitors get blind to it eventually in the same way they no longer see banners.

It's all been signed off by the operators, so I'm fairly sure it's compliant. For now!

[nwalker]

I did some research outside of gaming and settled on the solution i've implemented - I felt it was the easiest, and met the requirements of the ASA.

As content has to be identified as an #ad or Advertorial before someone reads it I have placed a line that appears at the top of every page identifying the content as an Ad, with a link that explains a bit more about it if anyone can be bothered to click it. Basically my whole site is a advert of some description with very little content just being editorial.

In the two months it's been live, only two visitors have clicked on the link to read more info.

[Mattbar]

In the process of implementing #Ad to disclaimers, offers, reviews, etc. I have expected this to come in for a long time, it is something that has existed in finance for a while now. Largely been waiting for the dust to settle as operators had wildly different views as to how this should be implemented, bet365 have now sent out their guidance on it and I will be following their perspective.

Like with T&C's Apply, 18+, etc., these warnings become generic and no one reads or pays attention to them.

[baldidiot]

I did some research outside of gaming and settled on the solution i've implemented - I felt it was the easiest, and met the requirements of the ASA.

As content has to be identified as an #ad or Advertorial before someone reads it I have placed a line that appears at the top of every page identifying the content as an Ad, with a link that explains a bit more about it if anyone can be bothered to click it. Basically my whole site is a advert of some description with very little content just being editorial.

In the two months it's been live, only two visitors have clicked on the link to read more info.

Have you ran this by anyone who has specifically asked for #ad to be included on a site? I'm curious to know what they would say as a couple of the people who do require it (Kindred etc..) said this wouldn't be sufficient as it has to be visible by the offer and CTA.

[newcustomeroffer]

Curious to know how everyone is complying with the #Ad requirement for the UK. How is this being applied? Just websites? Social Media?

Reading the papers it is not very clear.

You're right, it's not clear at all and is being interpreted differently by different programs. If there's ever to be anything that can be described as 'compliant' in a consistent manner then someone who claims to be in charge of all this needs to clarify exactly what the requirement is so operators and affiliates can implement accordingly.

I suspect that the original intention was for #Ad to be used for Social Media. It doesn't really work outside of social media as any non-social media-savvy person looking at a website with #Ad plastered all over it will likely think WTF. The use of a hashtag was born on twitter originally and adopted on other social media platforms after all.

[mickyfu]

Simple. I've ditched the UK. I'll be wasting no more time, energy or traffic on it. It is a complete and utter farce now. Moronic doesn't even sum up the UK industry and the self-serving UKGC.

[nwalker]

The Cap Code is clear as to what is required. This is where the Aff programs would have got their information. Of course each could interpret it differently, as we've seen with the other marketing requirements.

https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rul...cast-code.html

You can contact the ASA for further guidance if you've a mind too.

As far as I'm concerned what i have implemented complies - I've not had it ratified by the programs and i'm not going to ask them, as I'll get a different opinion from each. I comply with the ASA and Cap standards and that is good enough. I'm an online marketeer and if they don't like what i have done then I don't have to work with them.

I take a risk based approach on managing my business and that includes how i work with programs. Losing one or two won't have a big impact to my bottom line.

[baldidiot]

The Cap Code is clear as to what is required. This is where the Aff programs would have got their information. Of course each could interpret it differently, as we've seen with the other marketing requirements.

I totally agree and the sensible approach should allow us to get away with a general disclaimer or even pop up notice. The whole argument is that the user doesn't realise there's a financial connection so if they're informed that should be the end of it.

However.... the BGC decided to stick their nose in and added in additional bits which any BGC member now has to follow in addition to the CAP guidelines: https://bettingandgamingcouncil.com/...raft-FINAL.pdf

Specifically this (section 61):

"A requirement for affiliates to comply with all relevant regulatory and legislative requirements including CAP’s guidance on ensuring advertisements are obviously identifiable as such. In order to promote consistency, all relevant affiliate ads should be clearly and prominently marked ‘#ad’."

After chatting to a few AMs that want this enforced they've said that it's the 'prominent' bit that scuppers the one and done type notice as it needs to appear on the advert specifically.

Tbh up to now other than adding it to the key terms of those that asked we'd been holding back to see what 365 say. Now they've said they want it on any advert we'll probably just add it system wide to all offers and CTAs.

[baldidiot]

These are the BGC members btw: https://bettingandgamingcouncil.com/...-List_2020.pdf

Includes bet365, Leovegas, Betsson, William Hill etc..

[nwalker]

"A requirement for affiliates to comply with all relevant regulatory and legislative requirements including CAP’s guidance on ensuring advertisements are obviously identifiable as such. In order to promote consistency, all relevant affiliate ads should be clearly and prominently marked ‘#ad’."

After chatting to a few AMs that want this enforced they've said that it's the 'prominent' bit that scuppers the one and done type notice as it needs to appear on the advert specifically.

Which is the approach I've taken. My #AD etc appears at the top of each page, regardless of the content, and is why I believe it to meet the requirements.

It's interesting, if you look at moneysavingexpert.com, they have just put a * beside anything that is affiliated to and put the explanation at the bottom of the page. This doesn't meet the requirements, but is obviously fine with all the programs they deal with (Finance et all).

https://www.techradar.com/ does the same as I do.

[baldidiot]

The BGC code is specific to betting though so doesn't really apply to tech radar or MSE.

Personally I think putting #ad on every offer is just as daft as having 18+ everywhere (as if that's going to make the blindest bit of difference), but that doesn't mean they're not going to make us do it...

[nwalker]

I think it's daft too. But knowing an article is sponsored or is an advertorial is a sensible step. I'm naturally noticing them more now in magazines and online in other verticals. Sometimes it's difficult to tell an advertising feature from a news article. It saves me time as i now I don't get suckered in so much and read an advertorial.

My point was that MSE doesn't conform to the ASA/CAP code, in so much that someone should know before they read something that it is an advertorial. All the BGC code has done is highlight that point, i don't believe they are asking for anything more with the statement they have in their section 6.1.

Unfortunately it's not explicit enough, some guidance would have been useful for the members of the BGC to use, so we get a consistent message.