ASA blocks Casumo promo campaign alleging it breaches RG rules

• Casumo ran a 28-day campaign which incentivized players to deposit and complete daily missions for the chance to spin a wheel
• The regulator, ASA, questioned the value proposition of the promotional campaign, arguing that players would need to deposit and wager much more than the expected return value
• Casumo argued that there was no obligation on the part of players to opt in for every single mission throughout the promotional materials

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the media regulator, has banned a recent Casumo promotional campaign, determining that it breached responsible gambling rules by incentivizing consumers to scale their betting activity as they looked for a reward.

ASA goes after Casumo promotional campaign - argues it breached CAP Code rules

According to ASA, the campaign, dubbed "Spinumo," featured substantial wagering requirements and daily challenges that it deemed to breach social responsibility requirements outlined in the country’s CAP Code.

The regulator argued that the offer was socially irresponsible and could drive people into financial harm. The campaign launched in August asked players to complete missions, with each completed mission resulting in a wheel spin that offered further rewards.

Up to five missions could be completed per single day, with the campaign lasting 28 days. Casumo has objected to ASA’s findings and argued that there was no specific messaging that required players to participate or spend money continuously on the campaign.

Rather, Casumo explained that the campaign was opt-in only and there was no requirement for players to actually complete up to five missions daily. ASA objected that the campaign itself was designed in a way that would drive players to gamble repeatedly, and stated:

"Each additional mission required a further £50 deposit and £200 of wagering, in return for another opportunity to receive a promotional reward. We considered that the promotion therefore directly incentivised consumers to repeat the qualifying gambling activity up to five times each day."

Specifically, ASA said that completing all five missions a day would require £250 worth of deposits a day, and £1,000 in wagering in a single day, with a person who was to participate in all 28 days and complete all five missions daily would need £7,000 in deposits and wagering of £28,000.

ASA questions the value proposition of the campaign

ASA also objected to the value of the promotion, and whether it was worth for players to actually participate in the promotion, arguing that to complete a mission, a player would need to deposit £50, wager £200, and then expect a maximum return of £10.

This was a "substantial gambling activity" relative to the expected value, which could drive players to spend more than they originally intended to. In conclusion, the watchdog noted that the advertising breached Rules 16.3 and 16.3.1 of the CAP Code.

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