A FINE LINE

2 November 2007

Has Lazer Wager gone too far with disaster oriented marketing?


There's often a fine line between current events-based marketing initiatives and being perceived to exploit the misfortune of others, and a press release from the recently launched sportsbetting and poker website Lazer Wager.com this week tested that boundary.

Owned by Trailhead SA and managed by former staff from Bet On Sports and Nine.com recruited by its British owners, Lazer Wager offered up a $10 000 reward for information leading to the apprehension of those who may have started the calamitous fires that have ravaged California.

Whilst that could have been applauded as public spirited had the company contributed the cash to Governor Schwartzenegger's initiative to hunt down those responsible, the company's next move can only be viewed as callous exploitation of a disaster in which people have lost their lives.

"Additionally LazerWager is giving each displaced [Californian] resident $15 to play in our casino," the company stated in a press release, crossing the line in a serious error of judgement in our opinion.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa