The Ghana Gaming Commission has placed a ban on celebrities from appearing in the adverts of betting companies and accepting brand ambassadorial deals from such entities.
According to a press release statement which was released by the Gaming Commission yesterday, betting companies can no longer use celebrities to market their brand.
This is a big blow to our celebrities because two major sources of their income have been jeopardized by authorities.
First, it was a ban from endorsing alcoholic beverages and now on their last cash cow [Betting Companies]
Check full statement below….
GAMING COMMISSION OF GHANA – GUIDELINES ON ADVERTISEMENT
BACKGROUND
The Gaming Commission of Ghana under its supervisory mandate drawn from Section 3 (2) (g) of the Gaming Act, 2006 (Act 721) has developed guidelines on advertising for operators of games of chance.
PURPOSE
The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure that advertisements by operators are conducted in a responsible manner devoid of promises of any predetermined outcomes, appeals/enticements to Gamble to the vulnerable in society as well as minimise exposure to minors where applicable. This document will act as a guide to operators in all their advertising/advertisements.
SCOPE
This document covers all forms of advertisements by operators including print and electronic.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
i. Advertisements must be vetted and approved by the Commission and the operator(s) must be in good standing.
ii. Advertisements must acknowledge the Gaming Commission of Ghana as the Regulator.
iii. Approval for the running of the advertisement shall be valid for the duration of the permit. The Commission has the right to revoke the advertising permit if:
a. it contains inaccurate information;
b. it contains misleading information;
c. it fails to acknowledge the Gaming Commission as the regulator;
d. changes are made to the advertisements without notification to the Commission;
e. it negatively affects public interest and sensibilities;
f. it does not depict responsible gaming and appeals to minors;
g. in any other circumstance that the Commission deems as inappropriate.
iv. It must not be misleading and all claims must be substantiated.
v. Must be devoid of inappropriate contents against competitors.
vi. Operator(s) advertisements shall not create the impression to their customers of guaranteed outcomes/wins.
vii. Operators shall not use celebrities in their advertisements to entice the general public to gamble.
viii. The Commission in protecting the interests of punters, customers and stakeholders, mandates that advertisements must contain warnings like “Gamble Responsibly”, “Only 18 Years+”, “Gambling is Addictive” etc. and any other warnings that may be prescribed by the Commission.”
Celebrities including Yaa Pono, Sister Derby, Sandra Anjobiah, Serwaa Amihere etc are all some of the stars who hold ties with some betting companies in the country
Source: Gossips24.com
