BetMGM Receives Warning for Advertorial Featuring Young Football Star Lamine Yamal
The Dutch Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) has issued a warning to the legal online casino BetMGM. The warning stems from an advertorial that featured FC Barcelona’s 17-year-old football player, Lamine Yamal.
The Kansspelautoriteit deemed the use of Yamal, considered a role model, inappropriate as it could appeal to minors. Regulations prohibit the use of role models in gambling advertising.
The regulator described such advertisements as “very harmful” in its press release regarding the warning:
“According to the law, providers of online games of chance are not allowed to advertise with role models. They are also not allowed to appeal to vulnerable groups, including minors. The Ksa considers this type of advertising to be very harmful, and violations of the advertising ban are taken seriously.”
Failure to Report
The advertising campaign featuring Yamal was briefly online and was reportedly executed and published by the editorial team of the website where the advertorial appeared. An ‘affiliate media company’ of BetMGM allegedly alerted the online casino after seeing the advertorial. At that point, BetMGM should have informed the Kansspelautoriteit about the error, but the license holder failed to do so, according to the regulator.
Despite this, the Kansspelautoriteit opted for a warning because BetMGM quickly ended the violation. In addition, the company has taken adequate measures to prevent recurrence in the future.
However, the Kansspelautoriteit emphasizes that license holders remain responsible for the expressions that are placed, even if they are developed by external parties. The regulator also reiterates that gambling companies are obliged to report any incidents, even if they are already being investigated internally.
The Kansspelautoriteit has not disclosed on which website the BetMGM advertorial was visible.
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