COMPLAINT NUMBER
15/330
COMPLAINANT
S. Tyler
ADVERTISER
Lotto New Zealand
ADVERTISEMENT
Powerball Television
DATE OF MEETING
3 August 2015
OUTCOME
No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint: The television advertisement for Lotto (PWB 90 524) showed a young boy who
lives with his Grandfather while his father works on a fishing boat. The boy like pirates and
misses his father while he is working, so when the Grandfather wins lotto, he gets a pirate
ship and they sail out to surprise his Dad. Onscreen the Powerball and Lotto logos are
shown and text says, in part: “Imagine.”
Complainant, S. Tyler, said: “…When the grandfather wins lotto they buy a 'pirate' ship
and go out to see to meet dad and take him aboard - like he doesn't have to work anymore.
I object to this ad as it makes gambling into a thing that is good to do because look at the
dreams it can fulfil. It destroys a lot of families, and often dreams do not come true winning
it. It is pushing people into spending the money gambling to win 'dreams'.”
The relevant provisions were Principle 2 and Guideline 2(d) and Principle 3 of the
Code for Gaming and Gambling.
The Chairman noted the concerns of the Complainant the advertisement portrayed
gambling as a way to make dreams come true which, in their view was misleading.
The Chairman was of the view the advertisement was fantastical and hyperbolic in nature.
She said that most consumers would be aware that playing Lotto meant there was no
promise of winning, but that people brought a chance to win. Therefore, the Chairman said
the advertisement was unlikely to mislead consumers into thinking that buying a Lotto ticket
could allow them to ‘win dreams’ as suggested by the Complainant.
The Chairman noted the Complaints philosophical opposition to this type of advertising.
However, she said the advertisement did not imply a promise of winning nor portray
unrealistic outcomes and was not in breach of Guideline 2(d) of the Code for Advertising
Gaming and Gambling. The Chairman said the advertisement was unlikely to mislead
consumers and observed the high standard of social responsibility required of
advertisements promoting gaming and gambling. The Chairman ruled the advertisement
was not in breach of Principles 2 and 3 of the Code for Advertising Gaming and Gambling
and there was no apparent breach of the Advertising Codes.
15/330
Accordingly, the Chairman ruled that there were no grounds for the complaint to proceed.
Chairman’s Ruling: Complaint No Grounds to Proceed
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