The Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (“IGRG“) has published its new ‘Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising‘. The latest edition introduces significant updates aimed at enhancing protections for vulnerable groups and promoting responsible online behaviour, particularly in relation to digital advertisements. The key changes are as follows:

• Operators (excluding lottery operators) must direct 20% of all eligible advertising (both broadcast and digital) towards safer gambling messaging.
• All eligible adverts (sponsored/paid-for digital media advertisements) must be targeted to consumers aged 25 and over, applying a targeting filter where possible. This requirement will not be applicable to (i) advertising campaigns targeted at audiences which have already been age verified by operators through their internal age-verification processes; and (ii) search advertising (the 6^th edition of the IGRG code having already included a requirement that any search advertisements must clearly contain 18+ messaging in the ad copy, along with safer gambling messaging within the core ad format).
• The removal of the listed company’s exemption of the 25+ age-gating requirement (which was Annex B under the 6^th Edition). Whilst this latest edition no longer lists Facebook and Snapchat as approved platforms, it does note that if a digital media platform can verifiably prove that its age gating systems can prevent under 18s from accessing the gambling advertising content, then the Betting and Gaming Council, may consider whether to reduce the age filter to 18+, after consultation with operators and third parties.

These changes will come into effect on 1 December 2023.

Operators are reminded that the Gambling Commission’s licence conditions and codes of practice make it an ordinary code requirement to follow the IGRG’s Code and that the Code is designed to supplement the CAP and BACP codes.