When it comes to television adverts, online casinos and sports betting companies have to be careful, because complaints can often be upheld if the material of the advert is deemed as inappropriate, seen to pressure people into gambling, or contains information that could be considered misleading.A few sites have fallen victim to Advertising Standards Agency rulings over TV adverts over recent years, and Coral is the latest scalp to be claimed by the ASA.
Two complaints
There were a couple of complaints about the advert, both focusing on the same issue. The voiceover in the commercial claimed the following:“Imagine if you could just stop stuff when you wanted to. With Coral’s Cash Out My Bet, you decide when to blow the whistle. Online or on your phone, you can cash out your bet with Coral.”One customer found that this feature was in fact unavailable for substantial periods of time on at least two dates, with Coral responding saying that the feature may be unavailable if the market due to an issue at a football match, or technical issues with the site.This was followed by a second complaint from customer who was unable to cash out a football bet, with Coral responding that the T&C’s explained that the option was dependent on selection.
The ruling
The ASA’s ruling stated that although they understood that there could be certain factors that led to the feature not being available, these must be made clear in the advert, and they were not, therefore the material in the ad is likely to mislead, omits material information that customers need to make an informed decision, and does not state the significant limitations of the offer, breaching three BCAP codes.