Mixed Day for GVC Holdings with UK Gambling Ad Watchdog

Mixed Day for GVC Holdings with UK Gambling Ad Watchdog

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of the UK gave one win and one loss to betting giant GVC Holdings on Wednesday.

Complaint dismissed against Ladbrokes

The ASA on Wednesday dismissed a complaint against GVC brand Ladbrokes. The complaint alleged that a television commercial from the company depicted gambling addicts participating in everyday activities that indicated they are prioritizing gambling over their lives. The ad showed that a man celebrated after he found the spinning numbers stop at £77.77. while he was filling his car’s gas tank.

Mixed Day for GVC Holdings with UK Gambling Ad Watchdog

Later, a man says ‘hit me’ repeatedly as fillings are added to a sandwich. He even says that he likes a double down at the right time. Finally, a woman circulates a clothing rail that had only black and red garments. She then says that there are “few things more exciting than a spinning wheel.”

Ladbrokes said that the ad was just a “fun parody of everyday life” and it rejected the claim that gambling took precedence over what people were doing in their daily lives. It added that none of the scenes showed that real or imagined gambling took priority over any action the people in the ad undertook.

Non-government body Clearcast, which pre-approves UK television spots before they are aired, also supported Ladbrokes and said that the ad was just a humorous reminder of the routines of gaming and gambling. The ASA said that the characters in the ads were merely depicted as being momentarily reminded of gambling. None of the characters were so distracted that they didn’t complete their tasks and went on for gambling instead.

Coral in trouble

While Ladbrokes manages to get clear, Coral landed in trouble. The second GVC brand got into hot waters due to a tweet that promoted a racing free bet offer if the bettor’s nag didn’t finish the race. It also had a video link that said “have another go.” The complainant said that the tweet was irresponsible and encouraged users to engage in repeated gambling.

Coral argued that the promotion provided insurance to the bettors in case a horse failed to reach the finish line. It said that it was a regular campaign mechanic in the industry. The customers were not obliged to participate and they didn’t need to add any special finds. Therefore, the offer was not meant to cause any social or financial harm.

However, the ASA disagreed and said that operators must not trivialize gambling under the Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP) Code. It also had issues with the “have another go” title and the content of the video.

About sherlock

Sherlock Gomes loves to write and express his views on anything related to Gaming, Gambling, & Casino. He has been covering Gaming for more than two years now.