Earlier today, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) published two rulings regarding online gambling operations.
The first ruling involves Ladbrokes and a TV ad for the gambling company seen on February 29th, 2020. The advert displayed several individuals in everyday situations making allusions with gambling activities by mentioning words and phrases that are usually associated with gambling.
Five complainants, who believed the ad in question depicted people suffering from problem gambling and was aimed at showing gambling as a normal part of these people’s everyday lives. The complainants challenged whether the advert violated the advertising rules by presenting gambling as an activity with priority in life.
The gambling company responded to the complaints and explained that the TV ad in question was aimed at demonstrating the excitement that gaming brings metaphorically, which is why real-life situations were exaggerated. However, Ladbrokes noted that the situations showed in the ad featured humorous analogies and they did not directly suggest in any way that gambling has taken over the characters’ lives and normal daily activities by interrupting their routines or preventing them from completing their ordinary tasks. The organisation that is engaged with the pre-approval of most British TV ads, Clearcast, also confirmed that the characters in the advert did not look addicted to gambling.
The ASA investigated the ad under the existing BCAP Code rules 17.3.1 and 17.3.4 and reviewed the filed complaints but did not find the operator to have breached the rules. The regulatory body reminded that under BCAP Code, advertisements are required not to portray, morally accept or encourage gambling behaviour that was considered socially irresponsible or could lead to social, emotional or financial harm for the individuals. The watchdog, however, has not found the characters in the ad to seem like people who had their lives negatively affected by gambling and decided not to act further on the ad.
Advertising Regulator Rules Against Coral’s Twitter Gambling Ad
The Coral trademark of LC International Limited, however, was not so lucky, as the Advertising Standards Authority decided to take action on one of its ads.
A Tweet posted on the official Twitter page of Coral, seen in March 2020, was the reason for the review. One person, who believed the ad encouraged repeated gambling, filed a complaint to the ASA, insisting that the ad was not socially responsible. The Tweet in question featured a text encouraging the operator’s customers to place their bets and also featured a link to a video ad featuring a jockey set to fall off his horse and a further text encouraging people to place another bet even if they lost.
Coral responded to the criticism, saying that in its opinion, the advert did not encourage repeated gambling or gambling that is not socially responsible. The company reminded that the promotion in question required placing a real-money single or each-way bet of £1 or more in order for the bet to be taken, highlighting that the minimum stake is not high at all. In addition, Coral explained that the gambling operator did not require its customers to take up the offer in any way.
The ASA investigated on the ad, reminding that under the Advertising Guidance of CAP and BCAP marketers should avoid making gambling look like a normal everyday activity and make sure they do not create the wrong impression that gambling is an activity that should be taken lightly. The advertising regulatory body understood that the ad posted on Twitter promoted a “Fall to Finish” offer that provided customers with a free bet token matching the value of their bets amounting to up to £10. The ASA ruled that the ad breached CAP Code rule 16.3.1 and said that the promotion must not be displayed in its current form any more.
- Author
Olivia Cole
