Ad description
A tweet from the Coral Twitter account featured a photo of Jordan Spieth holding a trophy and stated “Jordan Spieth: The Masters - [tick symbol] US Open - [tick symbol] The Open - 11/2 All 4 - 25/1 corl.me/8p1sHa”.
Issue
The ASA challenged whether the ad was irresponsible and breached the Code because it featured prominently Jordan Spieth who was under 25 years of age.
Response
Coral Interactive (Gibraltar) Ltd said that they believed the tweet to be editorial content and not an ad under the terms of the CAP Code and would therefore be considered compliant with the Code. They said the photo of Jordan Spieth was used to illustrate, for example, the odds available, rather than promote specific bonus offers. They said they had now made changes to ensure that similar tweets complied with the requirements of the Code.
Assessment
Upheld
The ASA noted that the tweet featured references to specific odds and a direct link to the Coral website. We therefore considered it was clear that it was directly connected with the supply or transfer of goods and was therefore within the remit of the CAP Code.
The CAP Code stated that no one who is, or seemed to be, under 25 years old may be featured playing a significant role in marketing communications, with the following exception. Individuals who were, or seemed to be under 25 years old (18 to 24 years old) may be featured playing a significant role only in marketing communications that appear in a place where a bet can be placed directly through a transactional facility, for instance, a gambling operator’s own website. The individual may only be used to illustrate specific betting selections where that individual is the subject of the bet offered. The image or other depiction used must show them in the context of the bet and not in a gambling context.
The ad included a photo in which Jordan Spieth, who was under the age of 25, was featured playing a significant role holding the trophy. The ad had not appeared in a place, such as on their own website, where a bet could be placed directly through a transactional facility. We therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible and breached the Code.
The ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules
16.1
16.1
Marketing communications for gambling must be socially responsible, with particular regard to the need to protect children, young persons and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited.
and
16.3.14
16.3.14
include a child or a young person. No-one who is, or seems to be, under 25 years old may be featured gambling or playing a significant role. No-one may behave in an adolescent, juvenile or loutish way.
Individuals who are, or seem to be under 25 years old (18-24 years old) may be featured playing a significant role only in marketing communications that appear in a place where a bet can be placed directly through a transactional facility, for instance, a gambling operator's own website. The individual may only be used to illustrate specific betting selections where that individual is the subject of the bet offered. The image or other depiction used must show them in the context of the bet and not in a gambling context.
(Gambling).
Action
The ad must not appear again in its current form. We told Coral to ensure that they did not feature individuals who were under the age of 25 playing a significant role in marketing communications, except for where they appeared in a place where a bet could be placed directly through a transactional facility, such as their own website. The individual may only be used to illustrate specific betting selections where that individual is the subject of the bet offered. The image or other depiction used must show them in the context of the bet and not in a gambling context.
