Paddy Power ad ban for gambling taking priority

Regulation

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an advert from Paddy Power for encouraging repetitive and frequent gambling.

Two complainants, who believed that the ads showed someone so occupied by gambling that they made an inappropriate remark in conversation, challenged whether they portrayed gambling as taking priority in life and were therefore irresponsible.

PPB Counterparty Services, trading as Paddy Power, said the ad implied a commitment to family life by portraying the scene of a traditional family setting where a young man had dutifully gone to his girlfriend’s parents’ house for Sunday lunch.

In a statement the ASA said: “We considered that the humour in the ad relied on a gaffe caused when the man was distracted by the gambling game, which created a comedic moment of awkwardness and embarrassment.

“We recognised the ad was light-hearted in tone but considered that most viewers would understand that the young man behaved in a way which was not appropriate at a family event because he was distracted by gambling.

“Although we accepted it was a brief moment, because we considered most viewers would understand that distraction caused by gambling had caused an embarrassing gaffe at a family event, we therefore concluded that the ad portrayed gambling as taking priority in life over family.”

The ASA ruled that the ads must not appear again in their current form, and that Paddy Power should avoid making ads in the future that did not portray gambling as “indispensable or as taking priority in life”.

A Paddy Power spokesman said: “Paddy Power is committed to responsible practice and it is always our intention to comply with the advertising codes.

“We accept the decision of the ASA and will consider its broader guidance moving forwards.”

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