Whilst Jamaica has laws and regulations covering advertising and marketing at a national level, these are generic and do not include any rules specific to gambling. This allows operators to apply their own interpretation as to what they consider to be acceptable or socially responsible. The Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission would like to introduce a common standard to ensure that all forms of marketing and advertising across all and any channel adheres to a minimum common standard of social responsibility.
The Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission proposes to introduce rules to ensure that any content used to promote gambling and gambling products or services, across any delivery channel (e.g. TV, press, radio, social media, blogs, billboards, perimeter fencing, hoardings, or any other channel or means that is accessible to the public) should adhere to a common standard.
The new rules would complement current national advertising laws, regulations and standards, emphasizing that language and imagery in gambling promotions should not mislead customers about the effects of gambling.
Examples might include not suggesting that gambling could make an individual more attractive to the opposite sex, improve their financial circumstances, or use imagery that could portray gambling as cool or sexy, or be attractive or engaging to children, youth of vulnerable people.
This Consultation
Provides stakeholders with the opportunity to comment on, and inform, the specifics of those proposals. We remain open to direct engagement during this period. We will review consultation responses alongside any other additional evidence that is obtained prior to the conclusion of this consultation and provide an update as part of our consultation response.
