An investigation reveals that children playing popular free mobile games on Apple's App Store are being exposed to gambling advertisements. Prominent gambling sites like Unibet and Tombola are advertising their services with enticing offers, raising concerns about the impact of these ads on young players.
Advertising regulator and Apple launch investigations as to how gambling ads are appearing on children’s gamesChildren playing some of the most popular free mobile phone games downloaded through the Apple App store are being targeted with gambling adverts, an investigation byThese include promotions from one of Britain’s leading online gambling sites Unibet, with offers to “bet £10 get £40” and from Tombola, Britain’s biggest bingo site telling young gamers there was “a bingo winner...
Robert said: “It’s clearly inappropriate for kids to be targeted in this way, and it shows that existing safeguards are not working. We need big tech to step up and do more to protect children online”. The popular sports and casino betting website Unibet, who boast they offer the largest live casino and sponsor Middlesbrough FC, appeared on Bus Out, a game where players park colourful vehicles.Tombola’s pop-up adverts appeared on the same app and in the game Perfect Tidy, a cartoon game in which users clean items to pass to the next level, as well as My Supermarket Simulator 3D, which requires users to run a shop.
One of the games itself was found to be a gambling app. After downloading, any child that opened the app was asked to tick a box to confirm they were over 18 and instructed to make an account in order to begin placing bets on virtual slot machines. She said that those aged between 17 to 21 were also found to be at an “exceptionally high period of risk” for experiencing gambling harms, the academic explained.
If the app’s creator marks that they will accept adverts suitable for any ages, such as those for gambling or alcohol, then these adverts might then appear on it. This would be despite an app showing up on the App Store as suitable for children. The ASA will be conducting a review to establish if advertising rules have been broken and if there are grounds for further action.
News GAMBLING ADS CHILDREN MOBILE GAMES APPLE APP STORE ADVERTISING REGULATION
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