General
CAP 17.1
Marketing communications must not portray, condone or encourage gambling behaviour that is socially irresponsible or could lead to financial, social or emotional harm.
CAP 17.2
Marketing communications must not suggest that participating in a lottery can provide an escape from personal, professional or educational problems such as loneliness or depression.
CAP 17.3
Marketing communications must not suggest that participating in a lottery can be a solution to financial concerns, an alternative to employment or a way to achieve financial security. Advertisers may, however, refer to other benefits of winning a prize.
CAP 17.4
Marketing communications must not portray participating in a lottery as indispensable or as taking priority in life; for example, over family, friends or professional or educational commitments.
CAP 17.5
Marketing communications must neither suggest peer pressure to participate nor disparage abstention.
CAP 17.6
Marketing communications must not suggest that participating in a lottery can enhance personal qualities, for example, that it can improve self-image or self-esteem, or is a way to gain control, superiority, recognition or admiration.
CAP 17.7
Marketing communications must not link participating in a lottery to seduction, sexual success or enhanced attractiveness.
CAP 17.8
Marketing communications must not portray participation in a context of toughness or link it to resilience or recklessness.
CAP 17.9
Marketing communications must not suggest participation is a rite of passage.
CAP 17.10
Marketing communications must not suggest that solitary gambling is preferable to social gambling.
CAP 17.11
Marketing communications for lotteries that can be participated in only by entering gambling premises must make that condition clear.
CAP 17.12
Marketing communications for lotteries must not exploit the susceptibilities, aspirations, credulity, inexperience or lack of knowledge of children, young persons or other vulnerable persons.
CAP 17.13
Marketing communications for lotteries must not be likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture. They must not include a person or character whose example is likely to be followed by those aged under 18 years or who has a strong appeal to those aged under 18.
Where the subject of a lotteries product (for example, good causes benefitting from lottery funds) or features of the product itself (for example, the creative content, gameplay or a prize involved) are of strong appeal to under-18s, a marketing communication for that lottery may depict the subject and/or product, but it must not feature a person or character whose example is likely to be followed by those aged under 18 years or who has a strong appeal to those aged under 18.
Lotteries marketing communications that solely depict the good causes supported by the lottery may include persons or characters whose example is likely to be followed by those aged under 18 years or who has a strong appeal to those aged under 18 provided that:
- they are directly associated with the lottery good cause (for example, an athlete who has received lottery funding directly);
- there is no explicit encouragement to purchase a lottery product; and
- there is no reference to scratchcards or online instant-win lottery products.
Lotteries marketing communications including product references that comply with rule 17.16.2 are also acceptable.
CAP 17.14
?Marketing communications for lotteries should not be directed at those aged under 16 years (or 18 years for National Lottery products) through the selection of media or context in which they appear.
CAP 17.15
Marketing communications for lotteries must not feature anyone who is, or seems to be, under 25 years old participating in gambling.
CAP 17.16
Marketing communications for lotteries which include any reference to scratchcards or online instant-win lottery products must not feature anyone who is, or seems to be, under 25 years old in a significant role. Other advertisements for lotteries must not feature anyone who is, or seems to be, under 25 years old in a significant role unless either:
CAP 17.16.1
they are featured solely to depict the good causes supported by the lottery and there is no explicit encouragement to purchase a lottery product; or
CAP 17.16.2
they are representative of the primary beneficiaries of the lottery and the lottery primarily benefits under-25s (including in a family setting).
CAP 17.17
Marketing communications for lotteries must not exploit cultural beliefs or traditions about gambling or luck.
CAP 17.18
Marketing communications for lotteries must not condone or encourage criminal or antisocial behaviour.
CAP 17.19
Marketing communications for lotteries must not condone or feature gambling in a working environment (an exception exists for workplace lottery syndicates and gambling premises).
