Supplier News

UK – UK gambling watchdog launches social media campaign

By Phil - 23 November 2015

A major social media campaign with the hashtag #gamblesmart has been launched by UK gambling watchdog Senet Group.

The three-week campaign targets young men with shareable, humorous online content to highlight and promote responsible gambling behaviour such as setting limits, never gambling when angry and never betting more than you can afford. The work will build on Senet Group’s TV campaign earlier this year that used the ‘When the Fun Stops, Stop’ tagline.

Supporting the online promotion, all Senet Group members will be devoting all their shop windows to the distinctive yellow and black campaign posters for three days from Monday, 16 November.

Doncaster Central MP Rosie Winterton, who has taken particular interest in problem gambling, said: “I’m delighted that 6,000 bookmakers’ shops around the country will be promoting responsible gambling behaviour. It’s important the industry takes seriously the need to protect vulnerable people.”

“Our campaign is all about prevention,” said Ron Finlay, Senet Group Chief Executive. “It’s designed to be funny and shareable, but with an underlying serious message about how to prevent gambling becoming a problem.”

Real-life videos of things going wrong when people don’t follow the tips are being sent out on Facebook, and Twitter will carry similar images. The videos will be shown on gaming machines in bookmakers’ shops and on their online channels. A special website, www.whenthefunstops.co.uk, will contain more information about the campaign and where to get help and support. The campaign was designed by award-winning youth marketing agency Livity.

This is the second responsible gambling push from Senet Group this year. The first campaign, which aired on TV in the spring and summer, is recognised by about one in three adults and half of gamblers, according to independent research commissioned by Senet. Some people claimed that the ads had led them to warn others about their gambling behaviour.

The Senet Group is an independent body established in September 2014. It was created by four of Britain’s leading gambling companies – William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and Paddy Power – in response to public concerns on gambling, and gambling advertising in particular.