The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled in favor of Buzz Group and its Buzz Bingo brand regarding a gambling ad on the brand’s Facebook account on April 12, 2025.
ASA Says Buzz Bingo Did Not Breach Any Laws
The ad featured an action figure with no specific name, encouraging users to use generative AI like ChatGPT to create a personalized action figure. The label read: “[NAEME] ACTION FIGURE.” A complaint suggested the ad might appeal to children, but ASA dismissed this, stating the imagery was not likely to strongly appeal to those under 18. The action figure was modeled after a Buzz Bingo employee from the Grimsby branch, not a celebrity, and was designed to be ordinary with no distinct features. ASA stated: “The figure depicted was an adult who did not have exaggerated features, wore a simple shirt, and was not a recognizable or well-known character. The colors were muted rather than bright and were not reminiscent of dolls or action figures typically marketed to children. We considered that the ‘action figure’ depicted was unlikely to be viewed by children as an appealing toy to play with.”
ASA Intervenes in Cases Against Big Operators in the UK
Despite this ruling, ASA is not lenient and has a reputation for intervening in cases of rule-breaking. The watchdog has targeted high-profile websites for their advertisements. Recently, it ruled against an ad by the score prediction platform LEBOM and acted against others like LiveScoreBet, PokerStars, and Ladbrokes.
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: SCCGManagement.com