The Gambling Advertising Board today announces a decision in which the Board expresses criticism of Comeon! for using marketing materials that violate the gambling industry code of conduct (code of conduct).
“Comeon!” (Co-Gaming Limited) has on the company’s website as well as on the company’s Facebook page uses images of the former professional football player Nicklas Bendtner in connection with the marketing of the company’s games. Nicklas Bendt-ner also appears in online advertisements/advertisements from the company.
Slogans/texts have also been used in marketing, in which Nicklas Bendtner’s name is included.
For example was written on June 7, 2021, on the defendant’s Facebook page:
“Are you also ready for the European Championships like Bendtner? Click here to get your European Championship boys.”
Along with the text is inserted a picture in which Nicklas Bendtner shows the edge of his underpants bearing the defendant’s name.
The Gambling Advertising Board assesses that the marketing is a violation of the gambling industry’s code of conduct, section 8.2., A gambling operator may not use persons in the marketing who may be perceived by the player (consumer) as “authorities” who have unique insight into the game. It is the Board’s opinion that Nicklas Bendtner must be considered a well-known person who, through his football career and the success he has achieved here, particularly appeals to young/younger people, and that Nicklas Bendtner, thus, at least for this group of people can be perceived as an authority that has particular insight into the game. By using Nicklas Bendtner in the defendant’s marketing, in the form of pictures and slogans/texts in which Nicklas Bendtner’s name is included, the Board finds that the defendant has used a person who at least by younger players can be perceived as an authority who has unique insight into the game.
The Board thus finds that the use of images of Nicklas Bendtner and his name in the marketing is contrary to the provision in point 8.2 in the gambling industry code of conduct.
The Gambling Advertising Board expects that the Board’s decision to express criticism will be followed up by immediate action, either through a direct stop to the marketing or a change in the marketing initiative.
About the Gambling Advertising Board
The Gambling Advertising Board is a behavioural regulating board set up on the initiative of the gambling industry. The purpose of the Board is to make decisions in cases where there is a complaint about the marketing of games in Denmark and express criticism in cases where game providers market themselves in violation of the rules of the Marketing Act, the laws of the gambling legislation on marketing or in violation of the code of conduct on marketing. The gambling industry has adopted it, and several gambling companies have joined.
The Board consists of a judge as chairman, two representatives from the gambling industry and two representatives representing the gambling users. You can find further information about the Board and its activities on the Board’s website www.spilreklamenaevnet.dk.