The ASA rejected two complaints about a Buzz Bingo Grimsby Facebook post featuring an AI-generated action-figure image. It found the advert unlikely to appeal to under-18s, despite considering that action figures or dolls could attract some children.
The decision clarifies how the ASA assessed child appeal in this gambling advert.
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The Gambling Commission’s executive director Tim Miller criticised social media companies for allowing unlicensed operators to advertise, according to the report. He called for cross-sector support, but the report provides no further detail on his request.
UK gambling operators are facing tighter constraints on social media marketing, with new ASA guidance, stricter platform rules and sanctions contributing to the regulatory environment. The report examines whether marketing through these channels remains worth the risk for operators.
The UK Gambling Commission said its enforcement work removed 252 illegal lotteries from social media over the past 12 months. Its commissioned research found that consumers often judged whether draws seemed genuine rather than checking their legal status, and that only around one in five TikTok participants checked formal indicators of compliance.
The UK Advertising Standards Authority rejected a complaint about a Buzz Bingo advert posted on Facebook on 12 April 2025. The regulator said the AI-generated action figure was unlikely to appeal strongly to under-18s; the complaint argued that the advert’s imagery could attract children.
ICG has reportedly put Buzz Bingo up for sale. Buzz Bingo chief executive Dominic Mansour recently warned that an MGD tax increase would lead to club closures.