The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has decided that a commercial for “Festival Free Bets” shared by influencer Astrid Wett violated advertising regulations because she was younger than 25.
The advertisement, which was shared on X (previously Twitter) on March 12, 2024, featured Wett at Cheltenham Racecourse. Concerns were raised about whether the advertisement broke gambling advertising rules since Wett was only 23 at the time.
The ASA concluded that Wett claimed she was unaware of the age restrictions for gambling advertising outlined in the CAP Code, believing that being 18 was enough.
The CAP Code outlines rules for specific advertising channels in the UK.
The ASA stated that Wett apologized for breaking the rules and said she understood the significance of promoting responsible gambling.
However, Festival Free Bets did not respond to the ASA’s questions. The agency expressed “worry” about the “lack of response and apparent disregard for the code.”
The ASA subsequently ruled that Festival Free Bets had violated Cap Code rule 1.7.
This rule states that any unwarranted delay in answering an ASA inquiry will be considered a breach.
The ASA reminds Festival Free Bets that it has a duty to answer inquiries promptly and expects it to continue doing so in the future.
In its evaluation, the ASA restates that no one under the age of 25 should have a “key role” in the marketing communication of betting advertisements. The only exception is marketing communication where wagers are placed directly through a transactional platform (such as the operator’s website) and the topic of the advertisement is also the topic of the wager.
“Although we recognize that Festival Free Bets is not itself a licensed gambling provider, using it will put consumers in a position to interact with gambling services,” the ASA’s evaluation states.
“Therefore, we believe that it is reckless to feature people under the age of 25 in a key role in their advertising.”
The advertisement was deemed reckless.
Ultimately, the ASA decided that Wett was the focus of the advertisement and therefore played a key role. The agency stated the advertisement also violated CAP Code rule 1.3, which states that marketing must be conducted responsibly.
The matter has been forwarded to CAP’s compliance team. The ASA has informed Festival Free Bets that the advertisement must not appear again and to ensure that advertisements only feature people aged 25 and over.
The ASA has criticized numerous betting advertisements in recent months.
In the month of March, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) instructed LeoVegas to remove a radio advertisement for their BetUK sports wagering platform. The advertisement, featuring former soccer player Adebayo Akinfenwa, was judged by the ASA to be excessively alluring to minors.
Last year, the ASA investigated a grievance concerning an advertisement for Mecca Bingo, which hinted that gambling could enhance individuals’ self-esteem. The grievance was determined to be valid.
With the Euro 2024 competition approaching, the ASA issued a reminder to gambling enterprises regarding their advertising regulations last month. Companies are prohibited from utilizing individuals under the age of 25 in their advertisements, including soccer players. Advertisements must also not be appealing to individuals under the age of 18.
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