Rules and ethics
Part of Gaming creators rules and ethics: UK compliance guide
A plain-language disclosure page for a gaming creator: structure, wording and a reader test
Write a gaming creator's public disclosure page in plain language: section order, model wording, a correction route, a review rhythm and a reader test.
A disclosure page works when a viewer with no inside knowledge can read it and know what to expect from the channel. It sits beside the label on the content and never replaces it. Write it from the creator's real income and access routes, then have a named UK-qualified reviewer check it.
What to take away
- Open with one sentence saying advertising is labelled on the content itself.
- Give each relationship its own short section, and say where the audience will see the label.
- State what a sponsor does not control, and never present supplied wording as independent experience.
- Publish a contact and a correction route, and keep a detailed register out of public view.
- Test the page with someone unfamiliar with the channel before it goes live.
Open with the one-sentence rule
Open with one sentence explaining that advertising is labelled on the content itself. The page describes how commercial relationships affect gaming content, but the label on the stream, video, clip or post does the real work. A viewer should learn that rule before reading any detail.
The labels themselves follow the advertising rules checklist. The page only has to say where each one will appear, in live, edited and short-form work, so the promise matches what a viewer sees.
Give each relationship a short section
Give each relationship its own short heading: paid sponsorship, affiliate links, gifted or loaned items, game keys and early access, hosted travel or events, and the creator's own products. Under each, say what the relationship means and where the audience will see the label.
Add agency or management relationships where they can affect the content. List sponsorship fees and affiliate commission alongside free or discounted products, loaned equipment, accommodation, event access and services. The CMA's guidance for content creators covers how creators and influencers must label gifted, discounted and promotional content on social media.
Do not set a minimum value below which a connection is silently ignored. A small gift that goes unmentioned undermines the page more than a long list does.
| Relationship | Model line | What the page must not imply |
|---|---|---|
| Paid sponsorship | Paid promotions are labelled "Ad" on the stream, video or post | That supplied wording is independent experience |
| Affiliate links | Affiliate links are labelled before the link | That the creator earns nothing from a click |
| Gifted or loaned items | Free and loaned items are declared when shown | That hands-on testing took place when it did not |
| Game keys and early access | A free game key does not buy a positive review | That access came with no condition |
| Hosted travel or events | Travel, accommodation and event access are recorded | That the trip was independently funded |
| Own products | Own products are labelled when promoted | That the recommendation is from a neutral party |
Say what the sponsor does not control
State whether the creator accepts review direction, pre-approval, talking points or performance claims. Promise not to present supplied wording as independent experience, and not to claim hands-on testing unless it genuinely occurred. Record game keys, early access or travel even when the creator keeps editorial control.
Disclosure does not validate a claim. CAP Code Section 3 covers substantiation, comparisons, pricing and qualifications, so the page should promise a current source and an owner for any objective commercial statement.
Brands and agencies carry duties of their own. The CMA also publishes guidance for brands and agencies on keeping reviews and endorsements honest and transparent, which is worth reading before agreeing a brief.
Publish a correction route
Give a contact for questions about a commercial relationship. State that a missing or unclear label will be corrected promptly, with the time and change recorded. Explain when content may be removed if it cannot be made compliant without misleading the audience.
A correction route is a promise, so make sure someone owns the inbox. A page that invites reports and answers none of them is worse than a page that gives no contact at all.
Keep a register behind the page
Internally, keep a relationship register with the brand, agency, value received, deliverables, claim evidence, rights, required label, approvals, publication links and end date. Set a fixed retention period with your accountant or lawyer, for example 24 months after the relationship ends.
Do not publish private contract values or personal data merely to demonstrate transparency. The public page says what the relationship is, not what it paid, and the data protection workflow covers what may be kept on file.
Review it on a schedule
Review the public policy every six months. Review it sooner when a new income route, platform or content format is introduced. Put the date of the latest review on the page, with the contact for corrections.
The finished page should be short and readable, but the record behind it must be detailed. Reopen the CMA, ASA and platform pages on release day, and pause the item if its commercial status remains uncertain.
Use model wording as a starting point
Adapt this wording, then replace each clause with your own facts:
[Creator name] earns money from advertising, affiliate links, gifts, loans and event access. Paid promotions are labelled "Ad" on the stream, video or post. A free game key does not buy a positive review. Affiliate links are labelled before the link. The creator's own products are labelled when promoted.
Add one closing line: Questions and corrections: [contact method]. Last reviewed: [date].
Test the page with a stranger
Test the page before it goes live:
- Ask someone unfamiliar with the channel to open it.
- Ask them whether a free game key is disclosed.
- Ask how an affiliate payment works.
- Ask where to report a missing label.
- If any answer needs insider terms, rewrite that section.
Before you act
- List every income and access route on the page.
- Name a UK-qualified reviewer to check the policy.
- State where the Ad label appears in each format.
- Record claim evidence and required labels in a register.
- Publish a contact route for reporting missing labels.
- Run the stranger test and rewrite any section that fails it.
Common questions
Does the page replace the label on the video?
No. The page explains how commercial relationships affect the content, but a clear disclosure on the stream, video, clip or post is still required.
Should a small gift be left off the page?
No. Do not set a minimum value below which a connection is ignored. List gifts, discounts, loans and access routes alongside paid work.
What happens when a label is missing or unclear?
It is corrected promptly, with the time and the change recorded. Content may be removed if it cannot be made compliant without misleading the audience.
