ASA Suspends Ads Promoting “Casino Weaknesses” and Guaranteed Profit

Paul Coleman’s ads promoting a roulette gambling system have come under fire by the ASA, having been deemed unsubstantiated and misleading.

Tipster Paul Coleman Told by ASA His Ads Are Misleading

The UK advertising watchdog has suspended two advertisements deeming them misleading and irresponsible, part of the country’s continuing push against problem-gambling. The regulator targeted two separate marketing efforts, one of which was deemed misleading as it made unsubstantiated claims and, the other, promoting irresponsible gambling. Both ads were linked to the same person and website.

The focus of regulatory disapproval became tipster Paul Coleman’s website MakeLifeIncome.com. According to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), Mr Coleman has used several misleading remarks in promoting his product.

“I’ll Teach You How to Make £50-£100 or More a Day,” one message published by the website read. “No Risk, No Hassle, No Risk,” the advert continued. Mr Coleman suggested that consumers would be able to make at least £60 in their first hour and stick to a system that will surely reward risk-taking.

Mr Coleman advertised a roulette system that exploits a weakness in the way online casinos work, and that he was privy to the weakness and he would impart it to anyone who was interested.

Understandably, the ad drew quite a bit of fire from the regulator, which has grown wary of such phrasing in marketing campaigns related to gambling, explaining that the language used in the ad and suggested outcomes were unrealistic and lacking any substance.

Saying that there was “no risk” and giving specific expected profits was misleading, the regulator said and Mr Coleman suggesting that online casinos had an inherent weakness that guaranteed winnings to consumers was another issue in the language of the text.

Coleman Says His System Works, Cited Evidence

Mr Coleman has protested, arguing that the specific phrasing of the ad was intended to generate interest and raise awareness for his system, as any advertorial language should aim to do. He further noted that the system he advertised was based on his own experience as a roulette player and it offered consistency.

Lastly, he cited feedback from players who had confirmed having won from casinos using this system. However, he acknowledged that the ad will be removed and his system would not be available to buy any longer. He will, however, retain his status as a trusted sports and horse racing tipster.

In drawing a conclusion, ASA simply noted that the ad “had not provided any evidence to demonstrate how his system worked, how it differed from other gambling systems or how the method was exclusively designed for non-traditional casinos.”

The regulator similarly has cautioned Mr Coleman that he would need to provide evidence to back any promotional language he uses in future advertisement attempts if they are deemed to not correspond with the regulator’s code of conduct.

ASA explained that an ad that promoted gambling as an alternative to employment could not be left without response by the regulator. ASA previously suspended a Monopoly-themed initiative.