ASA reverses Sky Bet ad ban ruling
Independent reviewer dismisses complaint that suggested ad was “irresponsible” in emphasising the role sporting knowledge plays in betting
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) independent review panel has overturned a previously-imposed ban for a Sky Betting and Gaming ‘Request A Bet’ advert.
The ad, which featured Jeff Stelling, urged punters to “Spark your sports brain and roll all the possibilities into one bet” and featured the slogan: “How big is your sports noggin?”.
In addition, a large screen behind Stelling featured various odds and statistics as well as a graphic of brain waves emanating from his head.
The ad was banned back in March after two complaints alleged it was “irresponsible” because it implied those with a good knowledge of sports were more likely to win.
Following publication of the ASA’s initial decision in March, Sky Bet accused the ASA of “creating a high level of uncertainty” in advertising compliance and requested an independent review of the ad.
In its prior ruling the ASA said the advert was irresponsible for overstating punters’ chances of winning and the role of sports knowledge in winning bets.
However, the independent reviewer said the use of phrasing such as “Spark your sports brain” and “How big is your noggin?” provided reference to the potential use of sports knowledge when building a complex bet.
The reviewer also said other phrasing including “in sport anything does happen” effectively recognised the uncertain nature of sporting events.
Following the overturn of the earlier decision, the ASA published full details of the ruling on its website.
When approached for comment on the reversal, a spokesperson for Sky Betting & Gaming told EGR that it “welcomes the clarity which the revised ruling brings, and is committed to supporting the work of the ASA in this area going forward”.
In related news, the ASA dismissed a complaint made regarding a “Cash Out” promotion for Flutter Entertainment brand Betfair.
The promotion, which first appeared in October 2018, received a single complaint over whether it was misleading because players were unable to cash out under the stated terms.
The page featured text including “Keep Your Eye On The Ball, Cash Out When the Moment Is Right and Take Your Profits”.
Subsequent text featured instructions on how players could cash out, both on a partial and full basis, adding that they could receive returns instantly.
When questioned by the ASA, Betfair explained that cash out was not guaranteed on every bet, only on selected markets. Links to explanatory documents together with terms and conditions were also provided.
In considering these factors, the ASA deemed the explanation of the game, together with the language used, to be enough to ensure customers “would be aware of these exclusions when betting in-play”.
The ASA therefore ruled the promotion was not misleading and could continue to be screened online.