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A woman took to Australian radio airwaves to complain that Paddy Power Betfair’s down under division Sportsbet had sent an unsolicited text message to her mobile phone. The woman said she had never subscribed to any betting agencies, the Calvin Ayre website reports.
Attempting to opt out proved even more of a headache.
The messages appear to have been sent to random people and, without any strategic targeting, there are fears that gambling addicts and minors may also have received the gambling text promos.
A red-faced Sportsbet subsequently issued a statement apologizing to “anyone who has received our communications unwantedly,” the CA site noted.
And then there was this, a la CalvinAyre.com:
Other women have likely found fault with a William Hill Australia email promo offering a $150 bonus to existing customers who convinced a friend to open a new betting account. The promo specified that the offer applied to “male clients only.”
While Paddy Power and William Hill may be “old school”, new kid on the block, Neds, has managed to draw the ire of the Advertising Standards Board (ASB) after launching just last month.
Their advertisement depicted “excessive participation in wagering activities” whereby home builders weren’t getting anything done due to their preoccupation with Neds betting app. Neds responded to the over 60 complaints filed with the ASB by suggesting the builders were betting during their downtime or lunch break.
Melbourne-based comedy group The Peleton have since released a spoof ad mocking the gambling industry advertisements. Watch below.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
