Britain’s advertising watchdog bans two Instagram betting advertisements featuring footballers Harry Kane and Erling Haaland. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules that the ads are likely to appeal to people under 18. The ASA says the creatives—featuring prominent top-flight players—have a “strong appeal” to younger audiences, which makes the advertisements non-compliant with advertising rules designed to protect minors.
Multiple outlets report that the decision relates specifically to how the ads are presented and the audience they are likely to reach on social media. The publisher, Cyan Blue Odds Ltd trading as Oddschecker, acknowledges the heightened risk of strong appeal when “top-flight footballers” are included in betting advertising. The ASA’s findings focus on the likelihood of under-18s being attracted to the promotions rather than on any specific claim within the ads. As a result, the ads are not allowed to run in their current form on Instagram.
