Pizza Hut has come under fire for a promotional campaign in the UK offering customers free spins at online casinos with their takeaway orders. The controversial offer, which promised up to 300 free spins at online casinos without requiring a deposit, has drawn criticism from gambling harm campaigners and political figures.
The promotion, advertised to online pizza buyers, congratulated them on unlocking the free spins with the message: “No deposit required! Claim your spins today!” Campaigners have expressed outrage, citing the link between online casino games and higher rates of gambling addiction.
Annie Ashton, a gambling harm activist, condemned the promotion. “The recklessness of this Pizza Hut promotion is staggering – offering hundreds of free spins on highly addictive casino games while not knowing if those people may be in recovery from an addiction is not just careless, it’s dangerous,” she said.
“Free spins can quickly lead to addiction to anyone spinning so many times. Pizza Hut needs to end this promotion as soon as possible before any lives are lost.”
Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith also criticized the campaign, arguing it highlights the need for stricter regulations on gambling advertisements. “This is yet further evidence of how out of control gambling advertising has become. It’s not even possible to order a pizza without online casino products being pushed on to people,” said Smith, who chairs a parliamentary group focused on gambling harm.
The promotion, no longer active, was run in partnership with Free Spins Loops, a casino promotion brand owned by Digital Adventures under Quantum International Holdings. According to a spokesperson for Digital Adventures, the advertisement was placed via a third-party programmatic network that includes age restriction measures.
“These placements are controlled by an external programmatic network that has built-in 18+ age protection capabilities,” the spokesperson explained. “The advert in question was live for a short period at the end of November before being proactively removed on 28 November and it has not been live since.”
The company did not address whether it or Pizza Hut benefited financially from customers who clicked through the promotion and lost money gambling. Yum! Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut, has yet to comment on the matter.
The issue comes as the U.K. government prepares to implement tighter regulations on online gambling, including limiting stakes on digital slot games to £5 ($6.3) —or £2 ($2.5) for those under 25. A £100 million ($127 million) annual levy on the gambling sector is also in the works.
However, these measures, brought forward by the Labour Party, do not include new restrictions on gambling advertisements. Labour has yet to outline its stance on marketing regulations. Campaigners argue that without stricter advertising controls, promotions like this one could continue to pose risks to vulnerable individuals.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2024/12/10/88129-pizza-hut-faces-criticism-over-promotion-offering-free-spins-at-online-casinos
