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By John Glenday | Reporter

November 29, 2017 | 2 min read

A ‘socially irresponsible’ Paddy Power ad has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for implying that it is acceptable to gamble in the workplace.

The TV ad, broadcast in August, depicted a bored casino security guard neglecting his duties for a surreptitious flutter with Paddy Power on his mobile phone, which clearly advertised an ‘average daily jackpot of £13,788'.

In its defence Paddy Power claimed that rules gave exemption for advertisements set within licensed gambling premises but this line was torn up by the ASA which said: “We considered the purpose of the rule was to prevent ads normalising or condoning gambling in working environments. In that context we considered the exception was included to make clear that although it is acceptable to depict customers gambling in the licensed premises, the licensed premises would be considered a working environment for other people, i.e. premises staff.

“We considered the exception did not extend to allowing the depiction of licensed premises staff gambling in their own working environment.”

As such the advertising body concluded that the ad displayed gambling behavior which was socially irresponsible and duly banned it from appearing again - extending a run of bad luck for the Irish bookmaker after its 'racist' Floyd Mayweather campaign was similarly curtailed.

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