The Advertising Standards Authority in the United Kingdom has upheld a
complaint made against a Betfair Poker ad.
The ad, sent out in an email to advertise the site, shows Annette Obrestad,
the young Swedish poker player, with the message: "Online experience is measured
in games, not years. Join the new breed. Annette_15."
The complainant said that the ad targeted young players and ASA agreed by
saying that it was "likely to have particular appeal to children and young
people and that, by representing a successful young poker player with the
implication she was 15 years old, it could encourage young people to gamble and
was therefore irresponsible."
UK gambling laws state that anybody used to advertise gaming sites should not
be younger than 25 years old. Annette Obrestad is 20 years old, and the
complainant pointed out that the Annette_15 handle name used in the ad actually
implied that she is 15 years old.
The Advertising Standards Authority said that Betfair did not believe their
campaign would encourage young people to gamble due to the measures taken to
prevent children and under age players from gambling on their site.
"They said Ms Obrestad was featured in the ad not because of her age but
because of her standing as a poker professional and champion who had had a
profound effect on the game," read the ASA statement.
"They said Ms Obrestad, at 20 years of age, was an adult, outside the
definition of a child or a young person under the code and the Gambling Act."
According to ASA, Betfair had instructed their marketing division not to use
any material featuring Annette Obrestad in any ads directed at the
UK industry in the past, yet these instructions had
somehow been ignored. Betfair apologized for the error.
