Gambling ads are in the dock again today after the latest offering from William Hill has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The British bookmaker has been criticised after an advert for its online bingo service was taken out of circulation for condoning "socially irresponsible" gambling.

The advert showed a woman hurrying her husband off to work by moving the hands of the kitchen clock forward, before running upstairs to play William Hill online bingo and exclaiming: "I get mine the minute he's out the door." She later moved the hands of the clock back, saying: "Doesn't time fly."

In a ruling due to be published today the Advertising Standards Authority said the advert "implied the woman was desperate to play bingo and was either unable to wait any longer or wanted to keep that secret from her husband".

Clearcast, the body responsible for pre-vetting television ads, said it had considered the advert carefully but had accepted William Hill's argument that it was humorous in tone and did not depict someone who preferred gambling alone. But the ASA said the advert portrayed and condoned gambling behaviour that could lead to financial, social or emotional harm and "that was socially irresponsible".

New regulations were introduced last year in an attempt to prevent a surge in problem gambling when casinos, betting shops and online gambling sites were able to advertise on television for the first time under the 2005 Gambling Act.

The rules, later tightened to ban advertising before the watershed following concern from charities and experts, forbid adverts that display gambling as a solution to financial problems or link it to increased sexual attractiveness or popularity.

While only 1% of ads have been blocked by the ASA this particular one appears harmless and the decision to ban it over harsh.

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