We’ve probably seen it all now. How about some emoji betting? Earlier this week it was World Emoji Day but following on from that Paddy Power have fired up a market for Emjoi betting. This is after a movement that has been started about getting the cigarette emoji removed from Apple devices.
This isn’t actually new because a previous protest campaign saw the gun emoji banned as well and now the attention has turned to smoking. Paddy Power have made the cigarette emoji the favourite to be the next one to go and that is at a price of even money* (betting odds taken from July 18th, 2018 at 11:34 pm). The calls to get it stubbed out have been increasing.
Who knew when online betting was started that it would lead to the point of betting on emojis? #BanCigaretteEmoji campaign which is at the centre of all this has gained well over 1,000 signatures to try and force Apple to take down the increasingly unpopular emoji.
There are other options as well in this Apple – Which Emoji Will Apple Ban Next Betting Odds market at Paddy Power with the Pistol at 13/8, and the Kitchen knife and Syringe both at 16/1 odds to be the next to go* (betting odds taken from July 18th, 2018 at 11:34 pm).
An NHS Smoking Cessation Specialist Nurse, said: “It’s all about the message that it’s acceptable, in saying that it’s a good thing. If it’s out there all the time, and younger more vulnerable people see it – it can normalise something that is incredibly dangerous.
“Putting 3,000 chemicals into your body is not a normal or okay thing to do, and a ban on the cigarette emoji would be a big step in the right direction in the battle against smoking.
“If we can get through to children and adults that it isn’t actually the norm – that’s a massive step.
“Children do not need a cigarette emoji on their phone, I really don’t see any situation they would need it at their developing age.
“It’s absolutely avoidable and it’s not a good message for anyone to be exposed to cigarettes in any shape or form, there are no benefits to them – only illness and poverty due to how expensive they are now.”
