Online gambling operator GVC Holdings has pledged to tighten its marketing controls after its Foxy Games brand was spanked by the UK advertising watchdog.

On Wednesday, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a consumer complaint filed against a Foxy Games paid-for Google search ad. The ad, which was spotted on July 11, stated “Earn Money Online – Foxy Games – Play Online,” leading the complainant to feel the ad was suggesting Foxy’s online casino as the path toward achieving financial security.

Knowing a dead parrot when they saw one, GVC subsidiary ElectraWorks didn’t even try to defend the content of the ad, while citing ‘human error’ as the reason the ad emerged from behind the door marked ‘cynical opportunism’ into the light of day.

Foxy’s timing couldn’t have been worse, given the heightened scrutiny on online operator marketing during the fiscal insecurity many Britons are experiencing during the pandemic lockdown. In August, a social media post for GVC’s Coral brand was deemed irresponsible for encouraging punters to ‘have another go’ if their bet proved a loser.