Ladbrokes TV ad banned for “socially irresponsible” gambling behaviour

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has blocked a Ladbrokes TV advert for depicting gambling behaviour that was deemed to be socially irresponsible. The marketing short, which first hit screens in April 2021, displays punters in a variety of different situations as they track the progress of their wagers while watching a football match. In one scene, a man looked up at a game on the screen and then back to his phone where he appeared to be placing bets as a voiceover said: “I’m a nodder. Up to the football, down to the app like a dog on a dashboard.” The next scene showed a man at a train station using the Ladbrokes app on his phone. The voiceover stated: “When I bet, I’m a frustrated manager. I kick every ball.” The ad then cut to the man making kicking motions while visibly frustrated. His actions drew a glance from a nearby person waiting at the station. The final scene displayed three friends watching football together. The voiceover said: “If I’ve got an acca coming in, I find myself getting very excited” while they were celebrating a goal. Their mood then visibly changed once it became clear that VAR was reviewing the goal. One complainant believed the ad portrayed people who appeared to be addicted to gambling and challenged whether it depicted socially irresponsible gambling behaviour. In response, Ladbrokes argued that the short went through a thorough review and sign-off procedure having carefully consulted with CAP’s Copy Advice service. The Entain-owned operator suggested the tension, excitement and changes in mood in the ad were a result of the football match itself, rather than the result of the bets made in relation to that fixture. UK ad clearance agency Clearcast also concluded the ad did not depict gambling addicts exhibiting problem gambling behaviour. However, the ASA argued the first man in the advert appeared more focused on placing bets rather than the game on the TV screen, and that he could repeat that behaviour throughout the match. It also said the protagonist of the second scene, kicking the ball in frustration, was unaware of his surroundings and that his behaviour was a direct result of his betting, rather than the football. Finally, the ASA said the third scene contravened CAP code that says operators should not depict mood swings related to gambling as this was a known problem gambling behaviour. The regulator said the ad displayed a major mood swing directly related to the tension of potentially winning an accumulator, rather than just watching sports. As a result, the ASA upheld the complaint and ruled the ad must not appear in its current form. It also told Ladbrokes to ensure that future ads did not depict gambling behaviour that was socially irresponsible, including problem gambling behaviour such as detachment from surroundings, mood swings and preoccupation with gambling.