GUIDELINE 6 - ADVERTISING
 
1. THE LAW

S42 of the Gaming Act 1968 places restrictions on advertisements relating to gaming. The Deregulation (Casinos) Order 1998 eased some of these restrictions.

2. RESTRICTIONS WHICH MUST BE OBSERVED WHEN PLACING CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

2.1  What is a classified advertisement? The Advertising Association defines it as “concerned with the provision of information to those who have already decided to purchase a particular product or service but need to locate suitable premises or vendors. It is advertising which, by its nature, appears on a designated page described as being appropriate to its business. The key distinction of this type of advertising is that it is usually listed generically under one or several banner headings. Such advertisements are normally placed at the back of publications. It includes entries in directories such as telephone, resort and hotel directories.”

2.2  Acceptable publications.              Some publications such as sporting programmes, hotel guest room folders, in-house TV etc may not have classified advertising sections. It is still acceptable to advertise in such publications provided the remainder of the relevant restrictions in these Guidelines is observed.

2.3  Size    Up to A4 size is acceptable provided there is no more than one advertisement per page for a particular casino. It is acceptable to include reference to more than one casino within an advertisement.  More than one advertisement in respect of different casinos may appear on one page provided that the layout is such that the impression of a larger single advertisement is avoided.

2.4  Graphics  The text must be limited to factual written information. The only graphic permitted is a logo. Background images and graphics are not permitted but text may be presented imaginatively using layout and colour.  Town maps, plans and charts, whether separate entities or part of a more general publication can contain directions to, a marked location and advertising for casinos as long as the advertising complies with these guidelines.  It is in order for casinos to include in any advertising a sketch map showing its location provided it is within the boundaries of the maximum A4 size.

2.5 Content.         The factual written information must be limited to casino facilities. It must not constitute an inducement to game. The following can be included: the name, address, telephone and fax numbers of the casino, the website address, a list of the available games, minimum and maximum stakes (but not the amounts which can or have been won), the numbers of tables for each game, equipment, a reference to card room tournaments, number of gaming machines, bar and restaurant facilities including menus, food and drink prices and any offers for new members, TV and sports coverage, a reference to regular promotional events but not to specific or forthcoming events, any permanent discounts, free membership and where to apply for a membership application form.

2.6 Membership forms. Actual application forms must not be included in the advertisement.

2.7  Purpose of the publication. The classified advertisement cannot appear in a publication which is wholly or mainly for the purpose of promoting casino premises. Leaflets or handouts, which contain the full address of the casino, are therefore not allowed.

3. ON-LINE WEBSITES AND E-MAILS

3.1  A passive website – one which is to be found by someone deliberately choosing to access the site concerned - based in Great Britain or abroad whose principal purpose is to provide information about gaming, including individual casinos, will not be taken as constituting advertising for the purpose of S.42 of the Gaming Act and is therefore not subject to the restrictions of this Guideline.

3.2 It is not permissible to send unsolicited internet mailings, nor to e-mail potential customers without being requested by them.

4. ADVERTISING ABROAD

Advertising is not subject to the restrictions of these Guidelines provided its circulation is wholly or mainly outside Great Britain and the distribution within Great Britain does not exceed 20% of the total.

5. SPONSORSHIP

It is permissible for casinos which are sponsoring events to advertise their involvement.  There are two alternative ways of doing so:

a)       If the full address of the casino is included in the advertisement it would be informing the public about gaming premises and could therefore only appear if it complied with the restrictions in paragraph 2 above.

b)       If only the name of the sponsoring casino(s) and the town or city in which it is located is included in the advertisement, (but not the street address), that does not constitute ”informing the public”. It is permissible to include a telephone number and web site address.  Such an advertisement would not be subject to the restrictions set out in paragraph 2 above. The advertisement must not however breach the other clauses of S42 by inviting the public to take part in gaming.

6. CORPORATE NAMES

Advertising by and in the name of the company which owns the casino(s) need not comply with the restrictions in paragraph 2 above provided it does not offend any part of S42.

7. ADVERTISING FOR STAFF

The design and content of such advertisements, which can appear on the normal places used to advertise for staff, are not subject to the restrictions of these Guidelines, but they must not seek to promote gaming.

8. MEDIA COVERAGE

Provided its publication is not conditional upon related advertising or any other such inducement, the restrictions of these guidelines do not apply to:

i.Articles in the media which result from an approach from that media and

ii. The supply of press packs to the media when it would be expected that any commercial organisation might wish to do so, on such occasions as the rebranding, opening, or major refurbishment of a casino.

Unconditional press releases containing information on matters likely to be of genuine interest to the public are acceptable.  “Unconditional” in this context means that only factual information is included; with no financial or other incentive offered to the media in, or associated with, the release.  Providing that this condition is met, it is open to the casino to provide any follow-up information and amplification that it is requested to give, including interviews, photographs and further statements provided that this is the result of genuine editorial interest by the media.  Cases of doubt should be referred to Board Headquarters before the Press Release is issued.

9. ADVERTISING TO EXISTING CASINO MEMBERS

Information provided by casinos to existing members for their own use is not subject to the restrictions of these Guidelines.

 
Information source: Gaming Board of Great Britain

last updated: June 2003