The world of marketing has always been something of a contentious one – for years government representatives and the general public have been campaigning for and against the banning of advertising on certain products. While some have championed freedom of speech and a free press, others have deemed certain materials too inappropriate to be viewed at certain times, by certain people or even at all.
Of course, this generally encompasses anything “adult” themed – from men’s magazines to cigarettes, but one relatively new issue is the censorship of online gambling advertising. Over in Europe, where, somewhat ironically, online gambling is relatively lenient, it seems that Spain is trying to put a stop to the advertising of online casinos. Reportedly, Senate members are concerned about minors having access to gambling.
On the other end of the spectrum, then, we have the latest hilarity from the crazy world of Paris Hilton, who recently agreed a deal to front a UK-based casino television advertising campaign. While the company is based in the UK, it seems to have something of a penchant for American stars, particularly those who are lampooned by the general media – Verne Troyer, for example, also features regularly in the company’s commercials.
The billionaire heiress was allegedly ecstatic to be working alongside Troyer, known for his ‘Mini Me’ role in the popular Austin Powers movies, marking a stark contrast from a nationwide ban on online gambling over in Spain.
With all this hysteria surrounding online casino advertising, it can be hard for humble gambling fans to know whether they’re coming or going. If every country were as strict as Spain when it came to advertising, would customers have an accurate representation of exactly what they are to expect from online casino operators?
In South Africa, by comparison, affiliate sites such as Yeboyes Casino exist specifically to inform people about the best deals, bonus codes and more, ensuring that regulated gambling is undertaken safely without bombarding consumers with tasteless advertisements. This could be just the sort of balance that both the UK and Spain should strive to achieve – it is foolish to think that children can be stopped from seeing websites like this altogether, and should instead be down to parents to ensure they access reputable sites and enforce their own stringent controls.
Likewise, we could all do with a little less Paris Hilton in our lives.
