ASA issues new guidance to tighten rules on ads for in-game spending

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has tightened some of its guidance around the advertising of in-game spending.

This new guidance covers adverts which might appear via in-game storefronts or platform stores as well as general advertising for games, and is aimed at stopping adverts which might mislead consumers on the existence and price of microtransactions, how items might affect gameplay, and pressure you into a purchase.

However, the ASA conceded a difference in games which allow you to purchase a premium currency, rather than ones which let you earn some of it too. The conclusion was that the ASA would treat games differently which view an in-game currency as a direct analogue to real-world money.

For those games which do only offer a premium currency via real-world money, the ASA says adverts for purchases made with that premium currency must make clear how much that is actually worth.

So, for example, an advert for a new skin you buy for 2000 Gems should also provide a pound or dollar equivalent for that amount. Or, if you already have a balance of 1000 Gems, for example, how much the remaining balance of 1000 Gems will cost you to complete your purchase.