Statement from Ladbrokes in response to ASA ban on Ladbrokescasino.com ads ladbrokes

ladbrokes today confirmed it will seek a review of the ASA's ruling to ban its award- winning advertising campaign for ladbrokescasino.com following just one complaint from a member of the public

The betting and gaming leader believes the ruling is an incorrect application of the CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code and is in effect a ruling against using humour in gambling advertisements. ladbrokes will now lodge a request for a review with the Independent Reviewer of ASA Adjudications.

John O'Reilly, Managing Director of ladbrokes Remote Betting and Gaming commented: "Ladbrokes fully supports the code of practice relating to gambling advertising but this ruling is an example of political correctness going too far. We believe the ads are compliant as they are humorous and show people in fantastical situations to which no one would aspire. Consumers know that you cannot jump from a plane using a 30g pack of crisps as a parachute!"

At every stage of development process ladbrokes' marketing teams and advertising agency M&C Saatchi carefully ensured the campaign conformed with the relevant codes. Following production the advertisements were approved by Clearcast, the company responsible for the pre-transmission examination and clearance of television advertisements before broadcast.

Following the ASA's draft recommendation to uphold the complaint, Ladbrokes requested a referral to the CAP General Media Panel, an independent panel made up of industry experts and one ASA Council member. Despite the panel's recommendation to dismiss the complaint, the ASA Council ruled the ads were in breach of the CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code rule 11.10.1(h), by portraying gambling in a context of toughness and linking it to recklessness.

The campaign for ladbrokescasino.com was a finalist at the Cannes International Advertising Awards and was a London International Awards Silver Winner. The campaign was comprised of three advertisements - "Shark", "Climb", and "Parachute" - with all three using a documentary style format to depict fantastical situations where people undertake bizarre acts to "quench their thrill buds".