Mr Vegas warned by ASA over Facebook slot ads featuring cartoon characters

Mr Vegas has been reprimanded by the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). This is after a Facebook advert promoted four online slot games was found to include imagery likely to appeal strongly to under-18s.

The operator had restricted the campaign to users aged 18 and over through Meta's advertising platform. However, the regulator ruled that age targeting alone was not enough if the advert's creative content breached UK gambling advertising rules.

ASA objects to two slot game characters

The paid-for Facebook advert appeared on 5 February 2026. It promoted four online slot titles beneath the headline "MR VEGAS CASINO SLOTS SPORTS."

Alongside the message "New games every. single. week," the advert included responsible gambling messaging, links to GambleAware and displayed the 18+, BeGambleAware.org and GAMSTOP logos.

However, the  ASA took issue with the imagery used to promote two of the featured games.

One image for Pink Elephants 2 showed a large pink cartoon elephant against a lilac background with beams of light. Another, Razor Returns, featured a robotic cartoon shark set against an ocean backdrop.

Mr Vegas argued that all four games were developed for adult audiences by reputable suppliers licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.

The operator also maintained that the elephant featured exaggerated eyes intended to appear intimidating rather than childlike. They said it bore no resemblance to toys, children's television characters or licensed entertainment properties.

"We considered the image was 'cute' and surreal rather than scary." – Advertising Standards Authority

Age targeting did not prevent the ruling

The ASA disagreed with the operator's assessment. It concluded that the elephant's appearance was more playful than threatening.

It also noted that some aspects of the design could be loosely associated with the Ice Age film franchise. This would increase its potential appeal to younger audiences. Meanwhile, the robotic shark used for Razor Returns was also judged likely to have strong appeal to under-18s. The regulator found no issues with the remaining two games featured in the advert. These were Sweet Bonanza and Big Bass Bonanza.

Mr Vegas also said that it had used Meta's advertising tools so that the campaign was shown only to users aged over 18.

However, the ASA said this did not override the requirements of the UK advertising code, which prohibits gambling adverts from featuring imagery that has strong appeal to children or young people.

Reminder for gambling advertisers

The ruling reinforces the ASA's continued focus on the creative elements used in gambling advertising. It’s not just about the audience being targeted.

While responsible gambling messaging and age restrictions are important compliance measures, operators are still expected to ensure characters, artwork and branding cannot reasonably be seen as attractive to under-18s.

The decision is another reminder that cartoon-style imagery is an area of particular regulatory scrutiny for gambling businesses marketing to UK consumers.