Channel 5 cleared over 'inappropriately scheduled" gambling ads

roadcaster Channel 5 has been cleared of any wrongdoing after showing adverts for online gambling during a show called "My spiral into debt hell".

The programme featured someone who had accrued a debt of £70,000 from online gambling and lost their home, family and job as a result.

Three breaks in the programme featured adverts for Rush Poker Mobile and Supercasino.com

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) received 13 complaints, but ruled the broadcaster not to be in breach of any regulations.

"The programme content was anecdotal in nature rather than providing practical advice to vulnerable indebted viewers," said the ASA.

The agency added that although the adverts were incongruous with the programme content, they were unlikely to cause offence to watchers.

A statement from Rush Poker Mobile said that responsibility for the scheduling of programmes and adverts lay solely with the broadcaster and that they did not request that their advert be shown around "My spiral into debt hell".