Gambling promotion at Pretoria preschool sparks backlash - IOL

World Sports Betting has sparked outrage after taking its Bet to the Beat promotion into a Pretoria preschool. Young children cheered as their teacher spun a prize wheel and won R14,000, raising serious questions about gambling marketing in schools.

A betting company has come under scrutiny after taking a gambling promotion into a preschool classroom, with young children encouraged to cheer as their teacher spun a prize wheel for a cash reward.

World Sports Betting (WSB) has since withdrawn from the campaign, admitting the activation should never have happened.

The company shared the video on social media as part of its Bet to the Beat campaign, run in association with the Expresso Show.

The footage showed social media influencer Chad Jones arriving at Cornwall Hill College Preschool in Pretoria.

He was there to surprise a teacher with a chance to win money. The principal was reportedly in on the surprise.

Jones entered the classroom with a large branded prize wheel before addressing the young learners.

“Your teacher has won a chance to win some big money,” he told them.

He explained how the wheel worked, then asked the children to help spin it.

The youngsters eagerly chanted “Spin, spin, spin” as the wheel turned. Their teacher eventually won R14,000.

“That is R14,000 on a normal morning at Cornwall Hill College Preschool,” he announced.

But the seemingly cheerful visit sparked serious questions about gambling marketing in spaces occupied by young children.

“They’re grooming them young,” said X user Riley Ntsako.

World Sports Betting has acknowledged that the episode was inappropriate and did not reflect the standards it expected of itself.

The company said the episode had been filmed by an independent production company responsible for running the campaign. WSB claimed it was unaware of the location at the time.

However, it accepted responsibility for the content carrying its name.

“Gambling marketing has no place in classrooms,” the company said.

WSB confirmed it had withdrawn from Bet to the Beat with immediate effect and had the content removed from social media.

The remaining prize funds have also been redirected towards responsible gambling awareness.

The company said it had started strengthening its code of conduct for suppliers to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

The incident also raises questions about whether the activation complied with South Africa’s gambling advertising laws.

Section 15(1)(b) of the National Gambling Act 7 of 2004 prohibits gambling promotions intended to target or attract minors.

It states: “A person must not advertise or promote a gambling activity, other than an amusement game, in a manner intended to target or attract minors.”

Regulation 3(1)(i)(ii) of the National Gambling Regulations also restricts gambling advertisements at venues where most of the audience is likely to be under 18.

It states that gambling advertisements must not be placed “at venues where the majority of the audience may reasonably be expected to be under the age of eighteen years”.