Interactive Ads on Smart TVs: A Gamble with Viewers’ Attention
Last updated: September 6, 2025
Interactive casino advertising is a modern, engaging way of attracting customers.But are they violating UK law and gambling with viewers' attention?
Around 30% of those who gamble have done so because they saw a television advertisement. In UK law, there is no outright ban on television casino advertisements. The UK does have some very stringent policies on what is accepted, though. Smart TV ads come under a specific law, though, and gamifying them provides some questionable dilemmas.
The Law Concerning UK Gambling Advertising on Television
All television ads in the UK are regulated by the Committees of Advertising Practice. This states that gambling promotions must be ‘socially responsible’ and thus they must be careful which language they use and promises they make. They must also include information about the harms that gambling can cause and the potential issues.
A further body, the Advertising Standards Authority, checks that these are not breached and is primarily concerned with gambling ads not attracting an underage audience. Estimates are that gambling companies spend around 15% of their marketing budget on television advertising.
This also applies to any third parties, such as affiliate websites. These services often provide a useful platform for consumers, sifting through the best of providers based on a range of factors. For example, igaming.Com's UK overview has a comprehensive, up-to-date list that only includes UKGC-licensed casinos. This has actually helped the industry improve, pushing the most trusted and reliable companies to the top of the pile.
Smart TV Ads: A Television Alternative
The problem with ads on Smart TVs is that they do not fall under the broadcasting law. Instead, they are classed as internet ads, and this blurs the boundaries somewhat. This is because they are not broadcast as a commercial on a television channel, but are delivered through internet bandwidth. This makes the laws regarding them much different.
While there are very specific laws on what can be done with broadcast ads, those on the internet are harder to police. Those companies with UK licenses must comply, but for offshore casinos and those based outside the UK, this is harder to clamp down on.
Any gambling operators advertising to the British market must have a Gambling Commission license. The conditions of this will be to comply with advertising codes. This has several facets. Ads must not suggest they can resolve financial concerns, appeal to minors, feature no one under 25 years of age, or advertise anything that could lead to social or emotional harm.
The World of Gaming on Smart Televisions
Smart Televisions have now been around for some years. The first was launched by Samsung in 2008, and it included features that were popular in the burgeoning Smartphone market, though on a bigger scale. This lets people download apps and choose multiple platforms with which to watch television. From terrestrial TV to streaming, the choice was endless.
Gaming was a natural fit for this. As 4K resolution improved, so did the graphical quality. Original games were simple puzzle affairs with shiny graphics. However, the quality picked up when the streaming services began to dabble in gaming. While Netflix are now winding back their operations to focus on family-oriented titles, its gaming fare originally really pushed boundaries with story-driven and thought-provoking narratives.
Interactive Ads
Interactive ads are the cutting edge of marketing. They involve sending an advertisement that can be interacted with through the television. This could involve a small game, a quiz or other easy-to-handle process. The idea is that this will engage the customer further.
In 2011, some Smart televisions began to include Automatic Content Recognition, which allowed HTML5 applications to launch on the TV. However, the practicalities have so far outweighed the benefits. What is known as “app collusion” is when one product interferes with another. This has often been seen when these apps have launched over the top of another, usually the content the viewer actually wants to see. This means that, as of yet, interactive ads have not had the impact desired.
The next question is whether people actually want interactive smart TV ads. The internet is laced with ads, and real estate on television screens is thin. The digital advertising industry brings in £13.44 billion in revenue to the UK each year. Quite surprisingly, a survey of things people find annoying online said that only 4% listed advertisements, showing people actually don’t mind them. However, further studies have shown that 35% of ads online don’t receive any views at all, suggesting this is because they are largely overlooked.
Interactive gambling ads on smart televisions pose two dilemmas. The first is the consideration regarding the law. They must adhere to UK law for gambling advertising. However, they may often find themselves mixed in with content that comes from offshore casinos, muddying the water. The concept of being interactive also causes problems, because this may be seen as a tactic that appeals to minors.
After this comes the question of whether people actually want them. With so many ads online, interactive ads may not be the golden ticket they sound like. Attention spans are short, and in the world of digital advertising, it may be that a short sentence and graphic that requires less investment will trump a lengthy process involving gamification.
