Sportsbet sanctioned for ad linking gambling to sexiness

On Tuesday, Ad Standards found sports betting giant Sportsbet in violation of the wagering code via its free-to-air TV ad which implied a link between gambling success and sexual attractiveness.

The ad was aired during football coverage and showed a man in shabby clothes sitting on a couch while looking at his phone. After winning a multi-bet, the man is shown again in a tuxedo, but rather than his living room, he’s at an awards ceremony.

He is then awarded ‘Most Outstanding Same Game Multi’, which he receives to the cheers and applause of the crowd.

A complaint was registered by a disgruntled viewer to Ad Standards, accusing Sportsbet of depicting the “false and dangerous” narrative. They also said the ad gave viewers the illusion that winning would earn them acknowledgment and applause from their loved ones.

The viewer continued, “I’m disgusted as Nine and Sportsbet both clearly know this plays straight into a dangerous and false narrative of many gambling addicts.”

READ: ACMA reveals gambling ad complaints almost double

Upon inspection, the Ad Standards panel found the Sportsbet ads to be in violation of Section 2.5 of the wagering code. It claimed that the ad suggested that the man became more attractive and sexually appealing after winning the bet.

“The panel determined that the advertisement did state or imply a link between wagering and sexual success or enhanced attractiveness and determined that the advertisement did breach … the wagering code,” the ruling read.

“The panel noted that the man is shown to go from sitting alone on a couch in casual clothing to being dressed in a tuxedo with a woman next to him celebrating his success.”

The panel also found that the operator did not mention any promise of landing betting wins in the ad.

In a statement, Sportsbet claimed that the advertisement was “clearly a fictional analogy” and denied any element that tied betting with enhanced attractiveness. The operator also called for an independent inquiry but suspended the circulation of the ad in the meantime.

“We look forward to receiving further correspondence from your office providing Sportsbet with the option to request an independent review of the community panel’s determination,” the operator stated.

“Sportsbet respects the community panel’s determination and has suspended distribution of the advertisement via television until the outcome of the independent review process is known.”

The betting company, which has had a similar issue with Ad Standards in the past, claimed that the reaction after the gambler won the multi-bet was not as exaggerated as the panel claimed. Sportsbet also called the assertion that winning made the gambler more attractive “baseless”.

“The advertisement depicts a modest award ceremony, and the crowd reacts to the winner’s announcement and acceptance speech with balanced levels of applause and disappointment in a way that is consistent with that seen at the Oscars or similar event,” the company refuted.

Sportsbet was previously reprimanded by Ad Standards in 2019 for a mobile betting campaign the panel found to be sexist. The ad, which features a blond beauty pageant model, was accused of promoting a negative stereotype that women that enter beauty pageants are unintelligent.

In the past months, gambling content and volume have been under considerable scrutiny. Kayo, a Foxtel streaming platform, was found to have violated the ACMA gambling ad rule in April.

The company was accused of airing gambling ads during live sports events between the hours of 5am to 8:30pm, which is prohibited.

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