UK Advertising Watchdog Cracks Down on Gambling Ads Featuring Young Influencers
The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) made a judgment against a promotional piece for Festival Free Bets that showcased online personality Astrid Wett. The problem? The ASA believed the advertisement, shared on Wett’s X (previously known as Twitter) profile, was directed at a youthful demographic. You see, in the UK, regulations prohibit individuals under 25 from being the central figure in a gambling advertisement unless it pertains to a very particular wager type. Wett, at the time, was just 23 years old.
Although Wett expressed remorse and asserted ignorance of the regulations, Festival Free Bets remained quiet. This silence deeply troubled the ASA, who publicly criticized the company for its lack of responsibility. Essentially, it appears Festival Free Bets attempted to leverage a well-known young influencer to connect with an underage viewership, an action the ASA was not willing to tolerate.
A gaming firm promoting a “Vacation Wager-Free Offers” campaign was recently informed they cannot feature individuals appearing younger than 25 in their marketing materials. This comes after a comparable ruling last week concerning ProgressPlay, where their platform “Jeffbet” faced consequences for the same issue. It seems gaming enterprises are being instructed to focus on a more seasoned demographic!
