Gambling brands are always trying to find new ways to get their products in front of potential customers, but one popular way has been to advertise through sports. However, this isn’t always legal, and as gambling become increasingly mainstream, more brands are being caught out by the authorities. Ladbrokes is the latest brand to fall foul of the ASA; they have been banned from running a series of tweets featuring Premier League footballers. The tweets featured players such as Eden Hazard and Christian Eriksen alongside the message “Bet on the best”. The ASA deemed these ads to be too strongly appealing to under-18s, and as such have banned them from running any further.
What are the new gambling regulations?
Ladbrokes has become the first gambling brand sanctioned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for breaking new gambling regulations. The watchdog has banned a set of tweets from Ladbrokes featuring Premier League footballers after deeming them to strongly appeal to under-18s.
According to ASA, the tweets “were likely to lead children to believe that they could gamble on outcomes of Premier League matches using Ladbrokes’s online platforms, which is prohibited under the Gambling Regulatory Commission’s guidance on advertising to children.”
As part of its crackdown on gambling promotion aimed at under-18s, ASA is also investigating claims that two other brands – Sky Bet and PaddyPower – are also guilty of breaching the rules.
Why was Ladbrokes banned from advertising?
Ladbrokes has become the first gambling brand sanctioned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for breaking new gambling regulations. The watchdog has banned a set of tweets from Ladbrokes featuring Premier League footballers after deeming them to strongly appeal to under-s.
The ASA said that the tweets featured players such as Alexis Sanchez and Sergio Aguero, appearing to promote gambling on matches despite being owned and promoted by Premier League clubs.
The ASA ruled that the tweets were misleading as they implied that betting on football matches was an activity that could be carried out without any risk. It is understood that Ladbrokes has already changed its marketing strategy in line with these new guidelines.
How do gambling brands comply with the new regulations?
According to the ASA, which regulates advertising in the UK, Ladbrokes has become the first gambling brand to be sanctioned for breaking new gambling regulations. The watchdog has banned a set of tweets from Ladbrokes featuring Premier League footballers after deeming them to strongly appeal to under-18s.
The ban comes after complaints were made about the tweets, which featured images of Premier League footballers and the message “Pick your side: @premierleague or #bet365!” The ASA said that the tweet ‘could be seen as particularly persuasive’ and could lead young people to gamble.
Commenting on the ban, an ASA spokesperson said: “We have banned this campaign as it could be seen as particularly persuasive and could lead young people to gamble. We want all gambling ads to be clear and effective so that consumers make informed choices.”
Ladbrokes has been told by the ASA not to run any further ads featuring Premier League footballers until they have amended their marketing strategy.
Will other gambling brands follow suit?
Ladbrokes has become the first gambling brand sanctioned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for breaking new gambling regulations. The watchdog has banned a set of tweets from Ladbrokes featuring Premier League footballers after deeming them to strongly appeal to under-18s.
The ASA said that the tweets, which depicted players such as Eden Hazard and Harry Kane in what the watchdog deemed as “excessive” levels of attractiveness, were in breach of its Code of Non-broadcast Advertising Practice.
It is not the first time that Ladbrokes has come under fire from regulators. In October 2017, it was fined £8 million by UK regulator The Gambling Commission for promoting dubious bonuses and betting products to customers through social media channels.
Ladbrokes had previously defended its use of social media platforms, insisting that its advertising campaigns comply with all relevant legal requirements. It is unclear whether other gambling brands will follow suit in relation to new gambling regulations.
Conclusion
It is great to see Ladbrokes continuing to break new ground in the world of gambling by becoming the first brand to be sanctioned by the ASA. This move will ensure that all future gambling ads are compliant with new regulations aimed at protecting underage gamblers, and we can only applaud them for taking this step. In a competitive market like today’s advertising industry, it is vital that brands keep up with changing trends in order to stay ahead of the competition. We can’t wait to see what more Ladbrokes has in store for us next!