The Nova Scotia Gaming Corp. says an anti-gambling group’s criticism of the Support4Sport campaign are off base.
The advertising features young athletes who received training funds from gaming revenues, but according to Nova Scotia Gaming, the ads do not in any way advertise gambling products.
Tuesday afternoon, GameOverVLTs.com, issued a press release saying the corporation had violated its own advertising standards, using underage and youth athletes to promote gambling.
Robyn McIsaac, vice-president, prevention programming and public affairs, Nova Scotia Gaming Corp., said she received a copy of the release at the end of the Responsible Gambling Conference, put on by the Nova Scotia Gaming Corp.
Nova Scotia Gaming Corp.’s advertising codes are very clear, said McIsaac.
“We will not use children or underage youth in advertising gambling products,” she said. “There is absolutely no mention of gambling, of gambling products–it’s pure and simple an awareness campaign to celebrate the athletes, to celebrate sport in Nova Scotia.”
The effort celebrates and features a representative sample of the kinds of people who are benefiting from the program, but also illustrates for Nova Scotians where the money is going, said McIsaac.
Most of the athletes featured in the ads were over 25, and asked to sign waivers, said McIsaac. All parents of athletes under 19 would have signed the waiver on behalf of their child, and asked to appear on set, she said.
Calls to GameOverVLTs.com were not returned by press time.
The campaign, from Nova Scotia agency Revolve, first ran from January to March, and again in August and September, but are not in market now.
To date, the Nova Scotia Gaming Corp. hasn’t received any complaints about the campaign, said McIsaac, who expects another flight to run in the future.
