Watchdog bans poker ads for linking gaming to sexual success
Posted by Gavin Smith on 12 Jun 2009 at 13:06
A magazine advertising campaign for an online poker company has been banned by officials who agreed it linked gambling to sexual success.
The Guardian reports the ad for Swank Poker appeared in adult publication Flush promising "hot action" to online gamers, and has been banned from appearing again by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Another piece, an advertorial, reportedly described Swank Poker as "the very best in poker action coupled with the finest erotic entertainment that the civilised world has to offer".
Further promotions also said of women poker players in the service - "bring enough action to the Swank tables and the next thing you know, she could be taking care of your wildest fantasies".
The Guardian also reported rewards offered in the adverts included "serious erotic action" and "the opportunity to star in a movie with them".
The Remote Gambling Association brought the complaint to the ASA and said the advertisements linked gambling to seduction and sexual excess. The association also said the ads weren't socially responsible in relation to protecting children from being exploited by gambling adverts.
Swank Poker denied both points, saying it was offering rewards that were legally sold which happens to be of an adult nature as opposed to offering things like conventional promotional gifts. It also said it made clear that there services were only for adults.
The ASA decided that the adverts did breach the advertising code for connecting gaming to sexual success and ruled they should not appear again.
But the ASA did not approve the second complaint, saying that the adverts could target younger people, because they were published in a magazine which was targeted at older people in the 25- to 40-year-old age group.
