The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a Coral advertisement for using the caption “Have another go.”

The offending ad appeared on Coral’s Twitter page, and featured text reading “We’re as passionate about the bet as you are,” before providing information about a promotion offering to return their stake as a free bet if their horse failed to finish. 

A video, showing a jockey about to fall, and a spectator looking disappointed, before looking at his phone and cheering up, was also included with the Tweet. It was captioned “Have another go.”

That phrase was, apparently, enough to trigger a complaint to the ASA, which was upheld – the ASA having decided the phrase encouraged socially irresponsible gambling behaviour and was in breach of rule 16.3.1 of the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) code. 

Responding to the complaint, Coral said it did not believe the ad encouraged repeated or socially irresponsible gambling, and the promotion used a recognised industry campaign mechanic that was not designed to encourage repetitive play. 

Furthermore, the company noted customers were not obliged to take up the offer, and did not have to use additional funds to qualify for the offer if they did decide to use it, and therefore the promotion was not designed to cause financial or social harm. 

Despite the ASA acknowledging the advert did not oblige customers to take up the offer, it said it felt the phrase “Have another go” trivialised the decision to gamble, and could encourage people to take up the offer multiple times. 

The ASA has ordered the advert must not appear again in its current form.

AYO.NEWS says:

The ASA has lost all credibility in the eyes of many people across the gambling industry – delivering irrational and inconsistent ruling after ruling. The fact that only one complaint is needed to instigate action means it is ridiculously open to abuse – and there are clearly anti-gambling actors who make a point of lodging spurious complaints. 

Fundamentally almost all advertising is, by its nature, trying to get people to use a service repeatedly. If this is not palatable to society, then it should be banned outright. If it is acceptable to society, then it should be regulated by a fair, reasonable and impartial body – not the kangaroo court that is the ASA. 

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