Tipster website gets penalised for the third time by the ASA

A tipster website, run by Paul Coleman, has found itself in hot water for the third time now with the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA). The website, private-syndicate.co.uk, provides insider racing tips to its so-called ‘VIP inner circle.’ 

The problem however, is that Coleman’s website claimed to offer a 100% money-back guarantee to any disgruntled or dissatisfied customers. This didn't seem to be true though. 

One customer had been using the VIP service for four months and didn’t receive a refund, so filed a complaint with the ASA that the website’s claims were inaccurate and misleading.

The ASA upholds advertising standards in the gambling industry and has previously overturned rulings against Sky Bet and Betfred Bingo. They investigated the accuracy of the website’s claims and challenged whether the advertisement was responsible. The ad seemed to suggest that gambling is a viable alternative to a job.

Though Coleman did respond to the ASA, it was ruled that the advert should no longer appear on the website in its current state. 

Coleman’s response to the ASA states that he thought the complainant had received their refund and that he had many long-standing satisfied clients. He added that he would comply with any advice given by the Agency and remove the claims from his website. 

As this marks the third time Coleman’s tipster website has been sanctioned by the Advertising Standards Agency, this once again highlights the importance of responsible and informed gambling. Advertising claims that seem to suggest gambling is a sensible alternative to employment, and an easy way to achieve financial security are not socially responsible and should be approached with caution.

When gambling, it is important to practice responsible gambling, and to only gamble within the limits of what you can reasonably afford to lose. It is also important to be reasonably wary of any advertising claims that seem overly lucrative. Remember, if it seems too good to be true (like a 100% money-back guarantee!), then it probably is! 

For more information on responsible gambling, visit our Safer Gambling Week hub page and read our entire collection of Responsible Gambling guides.