In a recent development, a television advertisement by Happy Tiger Bingo has been found to breach the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) Code Rule 17.4.6, as declared by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The violation stems from the ad featuring an individual who could be perceived as being under the age of 25.
The controversial advertisement showcases a young man enthusiastically providing a testimonial about the enjoyment he has experienced while playing Happy Tiger Bingo games. As he shares his thoughts, on-screen text labels him as a ‘postgraduate student.’ This detail triggered a complaint, expressing concerns about the age of the featured individual.
The Challenge 25 policy, widely implemented across the UK, is typically enforced by establishments such as bars, casinos, and other venues where individuals must be 18 years of age or older to participate. This policy requires those who appear to be 25 or older to carry identification confirming they meet the legal age requirement. Failure to produce such identification can result in denial of entry or participation.
The complaint argued that by categorizing the individual in the advertisement as a postgraduate, it implies an age range of 18–25. The ASA supported this viewpoint, emphasizing the individual’s ‘self-conscious’ body language and use of ‘filler words’ like “obviously,” “like,” and “so yeah” as reinforcing factors.
Despite Happy Tiger Bingo’s ability to confirm the actor’s age at the time of recording by submitting a birth certificate to the ASA, the Authority concluded that viewers would still be unable to definitively establish whether the individual was over 25.
As a result, the ruling determined that the ad could not be aired again in its current form. Additionally, Happy Tiger Bingo received guidance to avoid featuring anyone who appears to be under 25 in their future advertisements. This decision highlights the importance of transparent age representation in advertising, aligning with regulatory measures to ensure responsible and compliant marketing practices within the industry.
