The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority has pulled ShortsandLongs.com’s print advertisement after ruling it “irresponsibly linked gambling with sexual success.”
The regional press ad showed a dapper man with two women wearing gowns and full makeup holding on to his arms with the headline: “We believe all traders deserve privileges ... which is why we offer: Free guaranteed stops.”
The ad goes on to say: “And that's not the only privilege you'll find at ShortsandLongs.com ... They're just business as usual -- just a small part of our commitment to make spread betting more rewarding.”
The authority only upheld one of the two issues outlined in the complaint, which said the ad glamorized gambling.
The authority interpreted the women’s contact with the man as intimate, and said that readers “were likely to infer from the ad that one of the ‘rewards’ of success with spread betting was enhanced attractiveness and increased sexual success with the opposite sex.”
Meanwhile, the spread betting company said it was “disappointed” by the decision, especially since the authority only received one complaint about the advertisement.
“In these difficult times, we feel that we are leading the way in responsible gambling rather than glamorising betting,” said Andy MacKenzie, a spokesperson for ShortandLongs.com, in a prepared statement. “In no way do we mean to suggest that opening an account with us is going to make you any better looking.”