PlayOJO to cut advertising in Sweden
Operator pledges to cease all pre-watershed TV advertising to limit exposure to underage players
SkillOnNet, the white label platform provider for PlayOJO, will cease TV advertising for the online casino brand in Sweden between 4pm and 9pm to reduce exposure to minors.
SkillOnNet CEO Costas Alexandrou said the company was aiming to moderate its marketing and limit potential exposure to underage players and is now working in cooperation with Swedish broadcasters to withdraw adverts from existing TV schedules.
“If other online casino operators in Sweden really do care about responsible gambling, they too should review their advertising strategies and schedules, and do everything they can to limit potential exposure to those under 18 years of age,” Alexandrou added.
“PlayOJO have been pioneers of fair online casino play – we were the first to have no wagering requirements whatsoever – and this further strengthens our position.
SkillOnNet, which has an online gambling licence in Sweden, is one of a number of operators that have been under investigation by the Swedish Consumer Agency (KO), following complaints about aggressive marketing practices.
In April, former monopoly operator Svenska Spel confirmed it would cease all online advertising for the remainder of 2019.
In a recent interview with EGR Intel, Svenska Spel CEO Patrik Hofbauer called on other operators to follow Svenska Spel’s lead.
Advertising has come under the spotlight following the launch of the regulated market, with the Swedish government threatening to enforce strict regulations against operators who do not advertise in a “moderate” way.
Following this threat, KO signed an agreement with the Swedish regulator, Spelinspektionen with the aim of ensuring operator compliance with these standards.
As part of this, Spelinspektionen has said it will issue penalty notices and warnings to operators who do not observe moderation in their marketing and has threatened to strip any repeat violators of their licences.