The use of cartoon characters, a giant doll and bright floating Lotto balls in a daytime television advert for gambling has seen Jackpot City fall foul of the advertising code.

The Advertising Regulatory Board’s directorate was called on to consider a complaint against the advert laid by a consumer who was offended by its morality and ethics and the impact it might have on minors.

The complaint relates to a 30-second television commercial aired on SABC2 on 22 July.

TimesLIVE reports that it shows a woman walking into a coffee shop and looking at her phone which shows the Jackpot City website, with a ‘Play Now’ button.

She clicks on it and walks into a world of fantasy with planes flying overhead and the floor turns into a colourful depiction of casino games.

The woman is shown running through the magical scenery and the commercial ends with the tagline ‘more moments of wow, Jackpot City’.

The directorate noted that the complainant felt the advert was unethical and raised the possibility that it might have adverse effects on the socioeconomic and psychological state of child viewers, as it was flighted during the day and appeared to directly target kids. 

‘The advertiser did not choose a theme that appeals to adults who are looking to gamble in a safe and responsible manner. Instead, by selecting bright, attention-grabbing visuals in this fantasy setting, the advertising appeals to minors,’ the directorate found.

It ordered Jackpot City to withdraw the advert immediately, and instructed industry members not to accept the advert in its current form.

Full TimesLIVE report