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It has come to light that Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster put in a complaint to the ASA (Advertising Standards Agency) regarding the Foxy Bingo advert that offered a free £10 bingo bonus, where no deposit was required. This was the TV advert that see the Fox himself singing away to the tune “we are family” by sister sledge. MP Foster was completely “out foxed” on this occasion as the ASA ruled in favour of Foxy Bingo and they concluded that the “free” part of the ad did not omit any significant conditions.
This is the second time one of the Foxy Bingo TV adverts have come under scrutiny by the ASA in recent months and both times their adverts have been given the all clear. It only takes one person to put in a valid complaint about an advert for the ASA to make a complete investigation into the advert. MP Fosters gripe was with the word “free” in the ad and he argued that it was “misleading” he said, “that the terms and conditions indicated that winnings resulting from bingo cards purchased with the (free) £10 were paid out only if there was a minimum of £30 in a Foxy Bingo account set up with a credit or debit card.”
Owners of Foxy Bingo (Cashcade) said, “That the promotion did allow people to play with £10 completely for free with no obligations such as setting up an account. However, to prevent abuse of the offer - meaning people simply withdrawing the free £10 instead of playing - players did have to have a minimum of £30 in an account and make a deposit in order to cash in on winnings.”
The Foxy Bingo advert that has just escaped a ban by the ASA was one of their older averts and although it offered players £10 free, it did also say “over 18” and that terms and conditions applied. After watching their bingo advert many times in the past, I don’t see how Foster came to the conclusion he did and made a complaint in the first instance. The Fox out Foxes the MP, now that is one for the record books!
The same cannot be said for one of the TV adverts by Wink Bingo as they have just seen their advert where a midwife was celebrating winning bingo whilst she was working and looking after a woman who was in labour. On banning the advert the ASA said, “It condoned gambling in the workplace and suggested that it took priority over professional commitments.” I must say when I see this Wink Bingo advert I did think that it was in poor taste and although humorous it did not dictate a very pleasant scene.
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