The UK’s advertising watchdog wants the general public to go full fink on gambling promos that so much as reference any submicropic infection agents.

This week, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) launched a new service via which members of the public could alert the watchdog regarding ads that make “misleading, harmful or irresponsible claims around the current coronavirus or ‘COVID-19’ situation.”

At the same time, the ASA issued a notice regarding “the conduct of the online gambling industry, including the nature and frequency of its advertising” during the current crisis. The watchdog claimed that the nation’s enforced self-isolation has created a ‘captive audience’ that may view gambling as “an escape from the situation they now find themselves in.”

The ASA is therefore warning gambling operators against any ads that “refer to the COVID-19 crisis or related matters, such as the government’s lockdown policy; and / or include claims or themes that are of particular concern in the current climate (e.g. ads that refer to relieving boredom, repeated play or personal problems like family difficulties).”