Recently, the US multimedia messaging application Snapchat has unveiled a new feature that provides British users with the chance to block gambling adverts.
The country’s gambling regulatory body – the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) – has welcomed the changes made by the app, while the Betting and Gaming Council‘s boss Michael Dugher support the change and urged more social media websites to unveil similar opt-out features for gambling ads. Before the official roll-out of the option, the multimedia messaging app and the BGC had been working in partnership for a year to guarantee the platform’s users are granted control over the advertisements they see.
On the other hand, the new functionality unveiled by Snapchat complements the updated Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising that was issued in 2020.
Under the new code, the trade body of the legal British gambling sector is required to ensure that all social media adverts target only customers over the age of 25, except for gaming websites or platforms that are able to prove they are targeting exactly young adults over the age of 18. The latest update made by Snapchat in terms of its gambling advertising features for British customers actually meets the advertising rules that have been imposed by the Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising.
Opt-Out Option for Gambling Ads Available Directly Through Snapchap App
Reportedly, the move that gives UK customers the opportunity to opt out from seeing gambling ads has come as part of the efforts to provide consumers with more freedom when it comes to having a choice to view gambling ads or not.
Ed Couchman, the General Manager of Snap for the UK, said that the company had always found it important to offer its community the chance to affect the types of adverts that reach them on Snapchat. He believed the new feature was a fantastic way to upgrade the user experience by allowing customers to protect themselves against unwanted gambling adverts that could target them on the platform. Besides, the move was in line with the determination of the regulated UK gambling industry to promote safer gambling.
According to reports, the update that has recently been made by Snapchat will help the multimedia messaging platform protect more than 41,000 British children under the age of 16 who have been exposed to various gambling content on social media.
As revealed by Snapchat, the app’s users will be able to cut out gambling adverts directly via the application – a move that is expected to help them tailor their preferences in order to avoid such ads in case they are not willing to see them. All customers need to do is open the Snapchat app and go to the Settings icon, then choose the “Additional Services” menu and tap “Manage”. After that, the user should select the “Ad Preferences” tab and then they will be given the chance to turn off up to three settings – third-party ad networks content, activity-based ad content and audience-based ad content.
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Olivia Cole
