ASA Rules Against Skill On Net For Stand-up Comedy Ad

Skill On Net has withdrawn an Instagram advert for its Gecko Play brand after the Advertising Standards Authority found it in breach of the CAP Code. The ruling followed two complaints that the campaign made light of harmful gambling behaviour.

The ad featured a paid social video built around a stand-up comedy routine. In the clip, the comedian compared gambling to eating pistachios, saying: “Gambling is really like eating pistachios, if you get a good pistachio, you want another good one, if you get a bad one, you want a good one even more.”

Regulators took issue with the analogy, arguing it could encourage the idea of chasing losses. The ASA concluded that the message trivialised behaviour linked to problem gambling.

Regulator finds ad socially irresponsible

The ASA ruled that the advert breached standards governing non-broadcast promotions. It described the campaign as “socially irresponsible” and said it could encourage “behaviour leading to financial, social or emotional harm.”

The core concern was not the format but the framing. By presenting loss-chasing as a relatable or humorous instinct, the ad risked normalising behaviour that regulators are actively trying to discourage.

Skill On Net defends tone but removes campaign

Skill On Net argued that the advert was intended as light entertainment and not a prompt for risky behaviour. The company maintained that the comedic tone did not encourage players to continue gambling after losses or suggest recovery through further play.

Despite this, the operator acknowledged that the message could be interpreted differently. The video has since been removed in line with the ASA’s decision, and the company has updated its internal marketing guidelines.

Legal view signals tighter boundaries for gambling ads

Legal experts say the ruling reinforces the limits around humour in gambling advertising. Melanie Ellis, partner at Northridge Law, pointed to the ASA’s low tolerance for any portrayal that hints at problematic behaviour, even when framed indirectly.

She noted that existing guidance on responsibility and problem gambling already warns against using humour to soften or minimise risk. The Gecko Play decision suggests regulators are willing to apply that standard strictly.

Furthermore, Nick Johnson, international head of tech, media, and comms at Osborne Clarke legal practice, added that context still matters. “Experience has shown that the ASA sees context as important, and that – in the right circumstances – humour and careful audience targeting can make a massive difference to their analysis,” he stated. 

However, he acknowledged that this ruling shows that the regulator “sees gambling-related risks and harms as no laughing matter.”

The aim is not eliminate humour from gambling ads. But according to Ellis: “Advertisers need to ensure that the laughter is not about gambling behaviour that could be perceived as harmful.”