Why keeping your customers is now the smartest growth strategy
Cristelle Snyman
Your customers know when you’re faking it
Cristelle Snyman
Trending
Why everyone is talking about the latest WeBuyCars advert
Thegandra Naidoo
Review: Lepas L4
Imran Salie
South African president gets court order halting inquiry into 'Farmgate' scandal
Sfundo Parakozov, Nilutpal Timsina and Anathi Madubela
Subscribe & Follow
Advertise your job vacancies
Jobs
- Senior Art Director Remote within South Africa
- Video Director & Social Media Content Creator Johannesburg
- Social Media Specialist Johannesburg
- SEO Strategist Cape Town
- Senior Copywriter Remote within South Africa
- Lead Generator Edenvale
- Community Manager Johannesburg
- Graphic Designer Cape Town
- Media Sales Trainee Executive Sandton
- Sales and Partnerships Executive Johannesburg
Should gambling ads be banned?
The National Gambling Bill was tabled in parliament on Wednesday. Among other things, it proposes a ban on casino advertising.
The bill also suggests that casinoes be made to put up notices warning of the dangers of compulsive gambling.
I'm sympathetic to the plight of compulsive gambers, as I am to that of other addicts, such as alcoholics and smokers, but where will it all end? Already there are rumblings of restrictions on alcohol advertising and maybe even warning labels on bottles similar to the ones on cigarette packets. There are even campaigners for warning labels on junk food.
Several surveys have revealed the effect of the ban on tobacco advertising to be negligible. If there has been a drop in smokers it has probably more to do with the increase in prices.
Are all adults susceptible to gambling addiction? Or is it only those with addictive personalities? Surely the answer is social education programmes instead of attempting to shield these people from the 'temptations' in advertising? What about freedom of speech and the ability of responsible adults to make their own choices?
