Paddy Power withdraws offensive Twitter comment

The Paddy Power online gambling group, famed for its controversial but eye-catching promotional work, may have gone too far this week with a tweet that was clearly intended to be amusing but ended up in wide condemnation and an embarrassing withdrawal of the offensive material.

Ahead of a Newcastle vs. Liverpool football match, the betting company referenced the currently raging controversy in the US around often videoed African-American police beatings in a tweet which read:

“Newcastle have suffered more Kop beatings over the last 20 years than an unarmed African-American male”.

The backlash on social media was strong and almost immediate, resulting in the withdrawal of the tweet.

Our readers will recall that Paddy Power has the dubious distinction of generating the most complaints ever on a gambling promotion to the Advertising Standards Authority. Last year the company was criticised for an advert on the outcome of the legless Olympian athlete Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial in which the company offered “money back if he walks.”

There were 5,525 complaints about the insensitivity of the advert, and the ASA directed that it be withdrawn.

Ed. Note: “Kop” is a UK colloquial term for steep terraces at a football stadium occupied by hardcore fans.