The July 2007 edition of the issue “Guidelines for Advertising on licensed London Taxis” issued by the London taxi regulators, Transport for London’s Public Carriage Office, makes it clear that casino advertising is not permitted. And a Transport for London spokesman made it equally clear to Casino International that the ruling is current, and stands.

While it is now possible to advertise casinos in print, on radio and on television in the UK, providing guidelines set down by the relevant UK Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) are adhered to, it seems that UK casinos are being excluded from a potentially very effective advertising channel in the UK capital city.

New UK codes for advertising gambling have been drawn up by and are the responsibility of two industry Committees of Advertising Practice – BCAP (Broadcast) and CAP (Non-broadcast) – and are independently administered by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The British Code of Advertising, to which the taxi advertising code refers in banning casino advertising, is written and enforced by the CAP, which runs a free advisory hotline for all would-be advertisers in the UK.

When Casino International called this advisory service, we were told “…there is nothing in the CAP code which says anything about advertising in taxis…”

The gambling industry has drawn up its own “Code for Socially Responsible Advertising”, which goes further than the CAP regulations – banning TV advertising until after 9pm, except for live sporting events, for instance. This voluntary code, too, places no restriction on taxi advertising.

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