On August 6th, one of the largest gambling operators in the UK and Ireland – Paddy Power – issued an apology after a homophobic slur was used by a fan in a video uploaded on one of its social media channels. The bookmaker, which is currently owned by Flutter Entertainment, said an apology over the “derogatory and offensive” language used by a fan in a social media video after the company faced some criticism from campaign groups.
The controversial video was considered part of the “Fan Denial” series of Paddy Power. The bookmaker releases such videos containing fans’ online comments regarding a particular game on a weekly basis. On August 5th, it posted a video in terms of the FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Chelsea on August 1st, but the video got deleted after massive criticism by a number of groups, including Proud Baggies, Chelsea Pride, Kick It Out and Gay Gooners, along with a few football media outlets.
In a statement released on Twitter, the chairperson of Kick It Out, Sanjay Bhandari, said that the video like that was designed to fuel and did nothing to further associate with football. The chairperson further said that the only thing the video would do to encourage people to keep using hateful language not only on social media but in football matches, too.
Bookmaker’s Homophobic Video Provokes Massive Wave of Criticism
One group of LGBT+ Arsenal fans called Gay Gooners also criticised the video, with the organisation reaching Flutter Entertainment’s CEO Peter Jackson via email, highlighting that the “discriminatory language and behaviour” should be scorned by industry leaders at all times.
As the email sent by the organisation to the gambling giant’s boss reads, the homophobic language encourages the toxic atmosphere that could make LGBTQ+ football fans feel unwanted or uncomfortable at football matches. The organisation also noted that by including that particular tweet in the aforementioned video, bookmaker Paddy Power undermined its own work in challenging homophobic attitude within sport.
Another group, Chelsea Pride, also criticised the video creating an idea that such behaviour is acceptable in football, while it is not.
As a response to the massive wave of criticism, bookmaker Paddy Power apologised for any offence the video might have caused before it was removed. The gambling operator also shared that it was reviewing its content approval process, especially when it comes to content provided by third parties to make sure content on its platform did not contradict its values as a brand. Paddy Power officials said that all members of the bookmaker’s team were proud of the work the company had done around LGBTQ+ issues and the company intended to proceed with its relationship with the community.
- Author
Olivia Cole
