Advertising watchdog reprimands online gambling operator

ProgressPlay, the owner of the Fruity King online casino has been sharply criticised for a sexist and insulting September tweet posted by the operator, who ProgressPlay claims is a licensee.

The tweet targeted the ITV television show Loose Women, insulting the swimwear-clad presenters via their images and the words “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. #LooseWomen18”.

After receiving complaints the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK considered the matter, and ProgressPlay’s rather lame excuse that the comment was meant to make reference to Loose Women as a low quality TV show, and not insult the presenters.

Fruity King has been on the carpet before following other efforts to emulate the attention-grabbing tactic of presenting controversial promotional material, and the ASA was having none of it.

The watchdog found that viewers would perceive the Loose Women tweet and image to ridicule the positive womens’ body concept that the original image was intended to portray, and therefore breached the CAP Code rule on causing harm and offence.

The watchdog warned ProgressPlay to ensure in future its advertising is not derogatory towards women.