Ladbrokes Iron Man 3 advertisement prohibited over 'child appeal'

24 August 2016

An advert for bookmaker Ladbrokes featuring Marvel superhero Iron Man has been prohibited over worries it would interest children.

The e-mail, which featured an image from the movie Iron Man 3, breached guidelines which say gambling ads should not be most likely to attract kids, the Advertising Standards Authority said.

Ladbrokes stated all its advertising emails were sent out to signed up consumers or those understood to be over 18.

Most Iron Man fans are adults, it stated.

The bookie argued this promotion code was supported by data on participation at Comic Con fan occasions and Facebook demographics for the Marvel brand.

It likewise argued its advert was "adult-themed" and reflected pop culture.

However, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld the problem against the 4 May email, saying that betting ads need to not be most likely to be of particular attract kids, particularly by reflecting or being connected with youth culture.

The ASA said it comprehended that the email was only sent to individuals aged 18 and over, however nonetheless, the limitations still used.

It said that as all Facebook users need to declare themselves to be at least 13 years old, more youthful children were therefore omitted from the sample used by Ladbrokes to support its stance.

The ASA stated: "We considered those younger children were most likely to be the main audience for Iron Man action figures and associated product, which we understood were widely readily available at toy sellers.

"We comprehended that Iron Man was a popular character that would interest numerous adults but considered its comic book nature, and the accessibility of different associated toys, indicated it was likely to have specific appeal to kids and youths.

"We for that reason concluded that the ad breached the yohaig promotion code."

A Ladbrokes spokesman stated: "We understand the ASA judgment and are now considering our options, including the yohaig code possibility of requesting an independent review which is part of the ASA appeals procedure."

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ASA - Advertising Standards Authority