The advert in question, which appeared on 18 September this year, promoted top tier esports for UK games with attractive odds and big winnings. It featured an image of a tweet expressing enthusiasm for CS:GO bets. A single complainant raised concerns about the ad encouraging problem gambling behavior and questioned its responsibility.
Dribble Media, the advertiser, responded by stating that the ad was created by a third-party company that did not adhere to their social media ad policies. They confirmed that the ad had been removed, and they would discontinue working with the third party.
The ASA assessed the ad based on the CAP Code, which prohibits marketing communications from portraying or encouraging socially irresponsible gambling behavior that may result in harm, whether financial, social, or emotional. The ASA concluded that the references to being “hooked on CS:GO bets” and making “craaaaaziest [sic] calls” presented gambling addiction and reckless betting in a positive light, potentially leading to harm.
Despite the ad being created by a third-party, the ASA held Dribble Media responsible for its advertising. The ASA determined that the ad breached the responsible advertising rules (CAP Code Edition 12) and the rules pertaining to gambling (16.3.1). Consequently, the ASA instructed Dribble Media not to portray, condone, or encourage socially irresponsible gambling behavior that could lead to harm in future advertisements.
