The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) agreed with a customer who protested a deceptive “complimentary wager” promotion by Betway on their platform. The deal, running in June, proclaimed “Wager £30 Receive £30 Complimentary Wager” for soccer wagers. The problem? The advertisement neglected to specify that patrons had to initially put down £30 of their own funds to be eligible for the “complimentary” £30 wager.
Betway, in their response, conceded the grievance was legitimate but pointed out that the complete terms and conditions, accessible separately, did elucidate the offer’s workings. They have subsequently revised the advertisement to explicitly label it a “matched wager” and committed to preventing comparable circumstances going forward.
The ASA, in their judgment, declared that promoting a fixed sum of £30 without transparently stating it was actually a matched wager (implying the “complimentary” amount hinged on the customer’s initial deposit) constituted a substantial omission of vital information. They determined that the advertisement was indeed deceptive and prohibited it from reappearing in its initial format. Betway was cautioned that all subsequent promotions featuring “complimentary wagers” must unequivocally disclose whether the offer is contingent upon matching the customer’s deposit.
The United Kingdom’s advertising regulatory body, the Advertising Standards Authority, is happy that the online gambling company, Betway, has consented to modify its promotional materials.