ASA Clears William Hill of Wrongdoing in World Cup TV Ad
There have been many stories as of late of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) launching investigations after complaints about adverts from iGaming operators.
While some have been penalised after complaints have been upheld, one of the most recent subjects of an investigation, William Hill, has escaped any punishment after the ASA ruled against a complaint which claimed a World Cup TV advert was misleading.
What happened?
A William Hill customer complained to the ASA over an advert seen on July 8th (2018) that stated “two extra bet boosts” were on offer on all matches during the World Cup.
The complainant claimed that these boosts stopped being available to players nine days into the competition, suggesting that the advert was misleading.
However, William Hill’s response stated that it was not players in general who stopped receiving the promotions, but the complainant specifically, who had been restricted from receiving any promotions due to abuse of the number of bonuses they were set to receive throughout their tenure with a William Hill account.
The customer had deposited a total of just £60 at William Hill, but had claimed 478 bonuses that totalled over £1,600.
William Hill also stated that the customer had been informed of this in late June, before the complaint about the advert was made, and that the advert did not claim that all players were eligible for the World Cup promotion.
No further action needed
A brief investigation from the ASA found the advert had text which explained the restrictions due to country, currency, and terms and conditions, and that the advert was not likely to give the incorrect impression that the promotion was available for everyone.
The ASA also considered the individual circumstances due to the player’s issues with the operator, and ruled no further action was needed.