Gambling company's ad featuring Tomáš Tatar deemed unethical

A commercial promoting gambling that aired during this year's Ice Hockey World Championships in the Czech Republic has been found to breach the Code of Responsible Advertising.

The Advertising Standards Board announced the decision at the end of June.

The council flagged the ads as promoting gambling as a fun activity, citing specific statements such as “We can guarantee you one thing – you'll have fun” and “Just get started,” slogans used by NHL ice hockey star Tomáš Tatar.

The advert showed people taking part in a range of common leisure activities and the slogan used was not problematic, but the Commission did take issue with the implicit comparison between these activities and gambling.

” [Council’s] “The Commission found that the advertising targets new players and thereby encourages reckless participation in gambling,” said the Commission's Secretary-General Eva Tikko Lajčáková.

Tipsport, the gambling company that produced the ad, expressed disappointment at the Commission's decision. The company stressed that the ad was not created with the intention of recklessly encouraging gambling. However, Tipsport has promised to stop distributing the ad, which is the only penalty the Advertising Commission can impose.

A complaint was filed against the commercial, which aired during the main broadcast of the ice hockey championships in May, claiming it was immoral to promote gambling during prime time when children and young people might be tempted to place a bet.

“Thousands of gamblers' families will testify that the 'Get Started' slogan can lead individuals and their entire families to financial ruin,” the plaintiffs wrote.

During the championships, a complaint was filed in the Czech Republic about the same ad. In the Czech version, the star was Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnjak. However, the Czech Advertising Standards Council found the ad to be fine and unproblematic. Czech Council director Marek Hlavica said the average consumer, as a responsible individual, must have the ability to rationally decide whether participating in gambling is appropriate for him or her.