New spin to World Cup anti-gambling ad

SINGAPORE — An anti-gambling advertisement that has been widely panned was given a new spin, after Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 to win the World Cup championship.

The ad, by Singapore’s National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), had featured a boy named Andy telling his friends that his father had bet his savings on Germany winning the World Cup. Dozens of memes of the commercial started circulating on social media after Germany crushed Brazil in a record-breaking 7-1 victory in the semi-finals.

NCPG had said the ad would not be pulled. “The focus of the (ad) highlights how those close to the gambler are adversely affected by problem gambling and not who eventually wins the World Cup,” a spokesperson had said.

But this morning (July 14), after Germany clinched the competition, a new version of the ad went up on the NCPG website. Another boy asks Andy if he got his savings back since Germany won the World Cup.

But Andy replies with a frown: “No, dad never stops... he wants to bet one more time.” CHANNEL NEWSASIA