Paddy Power Receives 400 Complaints Filed With ASA

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power is no stranger to the ire of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).  But this time the cat may have used up its nine lives...literally. 

More than 400 complaints have been lodged against Paddy Power with the ASA for a controversial ad that appeared recently.

That advertisement shows a footballer kicking a cat into a tree after mistaking it for a football, encouraged cruelty to animals and was offensive in its depiction of sight-impaired people, according to Brand Republic.

The ad, by Big Al's Creative Emporium, launched last month as part of the bookmaker's World Cup push.

The ad is called "blind football" and features actual blind footballers, whom are representing England in this summer's World Blind Football Championships. 

Paddy Power was forced to shelve another ad by Big Al's Creative Emporium in March, featuring four wheelchair-bound actors "doing a runner" on their bill from a curry house, Brand Republic reports.

In the past, Paddy has been cited for mocking little people and, more recently, the Catholic Church.

They became notorious for offering odds on US President Barack Obama's assassination.

Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com