Sky Bet’s RequestABet ad falls foul of ASA
Advertising regulator says ad put “undue emphasis on the role of sports knowledge” in winning bets
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ordered Sky Bet to remove a RequestABet ad which overstated punters’ chances of success.
The advert, featuring ambassador Jeff Stelling, included the lines: “Spark your sports brain and roll all the possibilities into one bet. The possibilities are humongous. How big is your sports noggin”.
The ad also featured a large screen showcasing odds and statistics, together with a graphic of brainwaves emanating from Stelling’s head. Two individuals challenged whether the advert implied individuals with good sports knowledge were likely to experience gambling success, claiming the advert was “irresponsible”.
Sky Bet said the two references to knowledge referred to consumers using their knowledge to build a bet using the Sky Bet RequestABet feature.
The bookmaker claimed there was no direct reference to this knowledge increasing the likelihood of winning and was in line with accepted beliefs that knowledge of a specific sport would on the whole increase a consumer’s chances of success. Sky Bet said it did not believe the ad was irresponsible or promised guaranteed success for those who followed the game.
The ASA said it accepted that those with knowledge of a particular sport “may be more likely to experience success when betting”.
However, the regulator asserted the advert gave an “erroneous perception” of the extent of a gamblers control over betting success by placing “undue emphasis on the role of sports knowledge”.
As such, it was ruled the advert should not be broadcast again, and the ASA warned Sky Bet that their adverts should not create an “unrealistic perception” of the level of control that consumers would have over betting success.