Ladbrokes Life campaign comes under fire from ASA

Ladbrokes new advertising campaign – Ladbrokes Life, has come under fire from the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The authority has criticised the operators campaign as irresponsible and harmful, since it links gambling with social and sexual success. Furthermore ASA claimed the UK wide campaign exploited younger viewers by glamourising betting culture, by trying to portray gambling as a social normality.

ASA reported that it had received – 70 complaints over the Ladbrokes Life campaign advertisements. The advert broadcasted through TV and print mediums featured red stylised posters of the characters using taglines such as ‘once is lucky, twice is talent’, and ‘when you win it’s skill, when you lose it’s bad luck’.

A spokesman for Ladbrokes said: “There appear to be a few people who have had a sense of humour failure regarding our new campaign.

“It is a shame because the feedback on Ladbrokes life has been overwhelmingly positive and the tone of the advertising is in marked contrast to other aggressive campaigns in the market place.  

“Moreover, the fact that the campaign includes the first ever TV ad that is dedicated to a responsible gambling message appears to have been ignored. We trust the ASA will dismiss the complaints in due course.”

A spokesman for the ASA said it is carefully assessing the complaints to establish whether there are grounds for an investigation.