UK's ASA Bans Misleading Mobile Game Ads From King, Scopely and Others

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned mobile game adverts from King, Scopely-linked Loom Games, Omnilojo and Vistrex after ruling that the ads showed gameplay that does not exist in the advertised titles.

The rulings follow consumer complaints about advertising practices across Facebook and Google placements, and they target some of the highest-spending names in mobile user acquisition.

Which ads did the ASA ban?

The regulator ruled against four separate publishers:

• King – A Facebook advert for Farm Heroes Saga depicted a match-three puzzle in which clearing icons caused nails to fall and a saw to move toward a cow. The ASA found these mechanics do not exist in the game.
• Loom Games – One of two adverts for Pixel Flow was banned for showing gameplay elements absent from the actual title. Scopely acquired a majority stake in Loom Games earlier this year.
• Omnilojo – Three Google ads for Dark War Survival were banned for presenting cinematic sequences as interactive gameplay and showing graphics that differed from the shipped game.
• Vistrex – Also known as Royal Ark Games, the Cyprus-based company saw a Facebook advert and a Google Play listing for Idle Zombie Miner: Gold Tycoon banned for misrepresenting gameplay, including features missing from a 60-second minigame.

Does a disclaimer protect publishers?

No. The King case directly tested the common industry practice of labelling stylised ad creative. The ASA ruled that a "Not actual gameplay" disclaimer did not make the advert less misleading, because the core depiction of the game remained false.

For studios relying on so-called fake-ad creative, a disclaimer now carries no protective value under UK advertising rules.

What changes for mobile marketers?

The Omnilojo ruling adds a second dimension beyond gameplay fidelity. One Dark War Survival advert used misleading award badges, including "2026 Game Creative" and "2026 Survival Game", implying industry recognition the regulator did not accept as verifiable.

The rulings establish three concrete constraints for mobile advertising targeting UK users:

• Ad gameplay must reflect mechanics that exist in the shipped product.
• Cinematic sequences cannot be presented as interactive gameplay.
• Award badges must reflect genuine, verifiable industry recognition.

The rulings reach beyond the big publishers named. Omnilojo is based in Singapore and Vistrex in Cyprus, confirming the ASA's willingness to pursue offshore developers and publishers whose ads reach UK consumers.

Why the Scopely connection matters

The Loom Games ruling lands months after Scopely acquired a majority stake in the studio earlier this year. The Pixel Flow advert is the second banned in the set of two, meaning the ASA reviewed multiple pieces of creative from the studio and upheld complaints against one of them.

For a major acquirer such as Scopely, the ruling signals that ad-creative compliance is now part of portfolio-level risk, not a matter for individual studios alone.

What comes next?

The banned ads must be withdrawn, and the rulings set a precedent the ASA can cite in future complaints against comparable creative across the mobile market. Watch whether the regulator extends the same standard to playable ads and store listings, given that the Vistrex ruling already covered a Google Play listing rather than a paid placement alone.