The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a challenge to a Casumo online display ad, finding that its reward-linked daily missions encouraged frequent gambling that could lead to financial harm.
The ruling, published on 11 November, says the ad must not appear again in the form challenged.
The ad promoted Casumo's Spinumo offer. Customers opting in could complete a mission by depositing at least £50 ($66) and wagering at least £200 on eligible games to receive one wheel spin. They could repeat the activity up to five times each day.
Each spin awarded a random number of free spins, up to 100 at £0.10 each and the free spins expired after 48 hours.
At the maximum five missions, a participant could deposit £250 and wager £1,000 in one day. Repeating that across the 28-day promotion would mean £7,000 deposited and £28,000 wagered. Those figures represent the highest permitted level of participation, rather than a requirement for every customer or an estimate of losses.
Recro Ltd, which trades as Casumo, argued that the offer was targeted and optional. It said customers could stop after one mission, that wagering did not equal losses and that the maximum activity was not necessary to obtain a reward.
The operator also said winnings from the free spins carried no further wagering requirement.
The ASA accepted that customers had a choice but found that every additional mission offered another chance of a promotional reward. It considered the prospect of up to 100 free spins per wheel spin an incentive to repeat the qualifying deposits and wagers on the same day and across successive days.
The watchdog also found that presenting the activity as a daily challenge reinforced that effect.
Under the CAP Code, gambling ads must not encourage socially irresponsible behaviour or conduct that could cause financial, social or emotional harm. The ASA found breaches of rules 16.3 and 16.3.1.
An April ASA ruling against Gecko Play concerned an Instagram ad that treated repeated gambling after wins and losses lightly. The Casumo decision applies the same responsibility rules to a promotion built around recurring deposits and wagers.
The ASA recorded one complaint in the Casumo case and identified the ad through its proactive monitoring system
