A racing tipster in the UK has received a warning from the UK’s advertising watchdog, after it upheld a string of complaints against his direct mail campaign.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled against Philip Murray following four complaints into marketing material that he produced in 2018.
The advertisement claimed to offer a ‘guaranteed, sure-fire way’ to beat bookmakers and earn profits, making betting on horse racing simple. The advert went on to offer punters the chance to join Murray’s tipping service providing bets by text for a price of £89.
The complaint centred on whether the advert was misleading and socially irresponsible, since it suggested that there was a guaranteed way to win money through betting with bookmakers. The complaints also questioned a number of other aspects of the advertisement, including the accuracy of some of the figures used by Murray. The ASA also examined concerns that the text of the advertisement, which included references to depression and using betting profits to pay off mortgages, on the grounds that these references were socially irresponsible.
Failure To Respond
Murray failed to respond to the complaints raised against him, and the ASA stated that they interpreted this as a disregard for the Advertising Code.
Upholding all four complaints against him, the ASA warned Murray that the advertisement should not appear again in the same form, and that any future marketing material should not claim that there were guarantees about making a profit, or claim a successful tipping record without being able to offer evidence to substantiate it.
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