Unibet breaches ad standards for sexism and peer pressure in Reddit ad
Online gambling platform Unibet has been hit with two breaches of AANA codes after the Ad Standards Community Panel (the Panel) upheld two of three separate issues raised about a recent Reddit advertisement that featured a sexist trope to discourage users from ‘cashing out’.
The advertisement, which featured a man holding up a sign that stated “cashing out is for pussies”, was found to have raised concerns regarding the AANA Wagering Code Section 2.8. Excess participation and Section 2.9 Pressure to gamble, as well as the AANA Code of Ethics, 2.1 Discrimination or vilification.
One complaint made about the advertisement argued that the spot “Encourages gambling without recognising limits, not in keeping with the message of gambling responsibly.”
In response to the complaint, the advertiser argued that it had not breached the Wagering Code, stating that the ad did not include a “call to action” to gamble excessively and, with reference to the Code of Ethics, argued that the language used was not derogatory, but “merely puffery” and “tongue-in-cheek”. However, despite arguing that the ad was compliant with both Codes Unibet removed the ad from Reddit as a measure of “good faith”.
The Panel first looked at whether the ad had breached Section 2.8 of the Wagering Code, determining that, with reference to previously upheld complaints, it had not represented wagering as a priority in the participant’s life, nor encouraged wagering participants to reinvest their winnings in an excessive way, and thus could be better considered under Section 2.9 of the code, pertaining to peer pressure.
In considering whether the ad was then in breach of Section 2.9, which states “Advertising or marketing communication must not portray, condone or encourage criticism or ridicule for not engaging in wagering activities or disparage abstention from wagering, for example by mocking non-participants”, the Panel argued that ” that the term “pussy” as used in this context is intended to demonstrate that cashing out or exiting a wager early is weak, cowardly, and soft – all terms used to indicate that it is undesirable.”
Therefore, the advertisement discouraged or mocked users who ‘cashed out’ or abstained from wagering and thus was in breach of Section 2.9.
In addition, the Panel also looked at Section 2.1 of the Code of ethics, which asserts “Advertisements shall not portray or depict material in a way which discriminates against or vilifies a person or section of the community on account of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, sexual preference, religion, disability, mental illness or political belief.”
Here, the Panel also found that the use of the word “pussy” would be found by most members of the community to be “disparaging towards women by suggesting that they are weak, timid, soft or lesser than men”, and thus does ridicule, or discriminate against women. Therefore, the ad was also in breach of Section 2.1 of the Code of Ethics.
In responding to the Panel’s decision to uphold the complaint on the basis of the two breaches, Unibet re-confirmed that the advertisement in question had already been discontinued, as per its initial response.
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