The United Kingdom’s advertising regulatory body, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), recently criticized gambling company bet365 for a Twitter advertisement featuring soccer player Granit Xhaka. The promotional content, which highlighted a remarkable goal by Xhaka against Manchester United, was considered irresponsible due to its potential allure to underage individuals.
Although the advertisement itself was displayed on Sky Sports’ official Premier League Twitter account and primarily emphasized the goal, it also prominently featured bet365’s logo and brand identity. The ASA, utilizing its AI-driven advertisement monitoring system, identified the advertisement for possible infractions.
The central concern was whether Xhaka, a prominent figure in the soccer realm, possesses a significant appeal for individuals under 18 years of age. Bet365 maintained that the advertisement, part of Twitter’s own promotional service and developed by Sky Sports, had age restrictions in place to guarantee it only reached users aged 25 and older. They further asserted that Xhaka’s inclusion was not intended to target a younger audience.
Nevertheless, the ASA countered by stating that because bet365 promoted the tweet, they effectively embraced its content as an element of their own advertising, making them accountable for its potential influence.
The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has prohibited a promotional piece from bet365 that featured Swiss soccer player Granit Xhaka. The ASA concluded that Xhaka’s fame, especially with younger demographics due to his position at Arsenal and on the Swiss national team, made the advertisement particularly attractive to underage individuals. This was considered irresponsible, as wagering can be detrimental, particularly to those below the age of 18.
The ASA also censured bet365’s age confirmation system, finding it inadequate to block access by minors. They specifically highlighted the dependence on self-reported age as a significant weakness.
This judgment establishes a standard, barring bet365’s Hillside subsidiary, and potentially other gaming enterprises, from employing individuals with substantial influence over youthful viewers in their marketing campaigns.
