The Review Board Condemns Keno and Lotto in TV4 – the Programs Are Advertising

The board of review judges that TV4’s broadcasts of the Keno and Lotto draws is advertising. The programs, therefore, contravene the regulation on advertisement signature.

Stockholm, Sweden (January 30, 2023) — Myndigheten för press, radio och tv (The review board) have tested the Svenska Spel on TV4. The board notes that covered costs for the productions at the same time that TV4 received additional compensation from Svenska Spel. Despite the fact that TV4 called the compensation sponsorship, the board considers that it is advertising in the sense of the Radio and Television Act.

Marketing must be designed and presented so that it is clear that it is marketing. According to the Radio and Television Act, there must be a special signature that clearly distinguishes the advertisements from the other content before and after each advertisement. Since there was no such signature that clearly distinguishes this advertisement from the other content, a violation of ch. 8 has occurred. Section 5 of the Radio and Television Act. TV4 has therefore violated the provision on advertisement signature.

The cases will now be submitted to the administrative court as the review board has decided to apply for TV4 to pay a special fee for the violation (21/03704 and 21/03705).

Previous rulings on games

The board of review has previously on two occasions tested features with scraping tris slots in TV4. The board found that they did not contravene the regulations on product placement. At the latter time, the board also examined whether the feature was in conflict with the regulations on advertising and undue favoring. TV4 then stated that the lottery drawing was not shown for marketing purposes and that no compensation had been paid. The broadcasts were thus released both times (10/01500 and 19/01609).

SOURCE: Via TT — Myndigheten för press, radio och tv (The Authority for Press, Radio, and Television).