The U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority is "examining complaints" about World Cup ads by Bet365, William Hill and Coral that "potentially broke new rules designed to crack down on problem gambling," according to Sweney & Duncan of the London GUARDIAN. The ASA received 115 complaints from viewers about TV gambling ads during the four weeks of the World Cup. This is "four times the number of complaints the watchdog received in the month before the World Cup." The "majority of the complaints" that the ASA received related to the number of gambling ads that appeared. Research earlier this week found that World Cup viewers in the U.K. were "exposed to almost 90 minutes of betting ads during the tournament." Complainants also felt the gambling companies were "irresponsible" for running ads in World Cup games when "large numbers of children could be watching." The ASA is "assessing the complaints" to see if there are "grounds to launch a formal investigation" into whether the gambling companies' tactics are in breach of the U.K. advertising code (GUARDIAN, 7/18).
