UK Regulator Agrees That Mecca Bingo Ad Suggests Gambling Boosts Self-Esteem
A UK regulator has ruled that Mecca Bingo got one of its ads wrong, as it suggested gambling could boost self-esteem. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
An ad posted by Mecca Bingo suggests gambling could be used as a way of boosting a person’s self-esteem.
Unsurprisingly, the company faced criticism following a complaint over its Instagram ad, posted in August. The ad in question featured two images of celebrity drag queen Baga Chipz.
Don’t you just love that post-bingo glow?
One image presented Chipz in plain clothes with no makeup and the other showed Chipz wearing a red sequined outfit with jewelry and makeup. To complete the ad, a caption read: “A good game can transform you! Don’t you just love that post-bingo glow?”
The UK’s Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) received complaints from viewers who believed the ad suggested that gambling could boost a person’s image and self-esteem if they gambled. The ASA upheld the complaints, asserting that it did give this impression based on the contrasting images of Chipz.
Mecca Bingo responded, claiming that the “post-bingo glow” was meant to imply the feeling one has after a night of playing bingo and was meant to highlight the “positive” experience the company aims to deliver.
