ASA Challenges Skill On Net’s Pistachio Instagram Ad

(AsiaGameHub) –   Skill On Net has been reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regarding a sponsored Instagram post that featured a stand-up comedian discussing pistachios.

The advertisement for the white label casino operator Gecko Play featured an unnamed comedian performing a routine on stage. During the set, the comic remarked: “Gambling is really like eating pistachios, if you get a good pistachio, you want another good one, if you get a bad one, you want a good one even more,” which drew laughter from the crowd.

At the bottom of the video, a GambleAware logo and an 18+ symbol were displayed alongside text reading “Gambling can be addictive please play responsibly,” with #AD appearing in the bottom right corner.

According to the ASA, two individuals lodged complaints questioning whether the advertisement promoted irresponsible socially gambling conduct.

Skill On Net contended that the comparison drawn between gambling and pistachios was meant to be ‘light-hearted, observational humour regarding the variability and unpredictability of outcomes’.

The company further clarified that the post was not designed to ‘encourage persistent gambling, nor to suggest that individuals should continue gambling’ to chase losses. It also noted that the ad did not reference financial loss, raising stakes, risk-free betting, or excessive play.

Nevertheless, acknowledging that the advertisement might be perceived in a manner that violates the CAP code, Skill On Net has taken down the post and revised its internal marketing guidelines in light of the complaint.

The ASA responded by confirming that the advertisement violated the CAP Code because it trivialised the act of gambling after a loss instead of promoting responsible play.

This ruling was made despite the inclusion of the GambleAware logo and the 18+ disclaimer, as the regulator determined these features did not change the ad’s general message, ‘which made light of continued gambling following both wins and losses’.

The ASA observed that viewers likely interpreted the statement to imply that gambling is ‘compulsive and hard to stop’. Additionally, the remark about wanting a “good one even more” after a “bad one” was seen as a subtle suggestion to place additional bets to recoup losses.

The ASA elaborated: “We therefore considered the ad gave the impression that the decision to gamble, even in the face of losses, should be taken lightly and that it encouraged or condoned repetitive or frequent participation in gambling, including after losses. For that reason, we concluded that the ad was likely to encourage gambling behaviour that was harmful and therefore breached the Code.

“The ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 16.1, 16.3 and 16.3.1 (Gambling).”

The ASA mandated that the advertisement must not be broadcast again in its current form and that future marketing materials must not ‘portray, condone or encourage gambling behaviour that was socially irresponsible or could lead to financial, social or emotional harm’.

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