Highlights
- ASA bans adverts by Kwiff featuring Lewis Hamilton and Betway featuring Chelsea FC logo.
- Regulators cite Hamilton’s 150,000 under-18 UK Instagram followers as evidence of youth appeal .
- Both firms now required to remove sports personalities with strong appeal to minors from future campaigns.
ASA ruling
Two major gambling operators have been slapped with advertising bans by the UK’s watchdog over concerns their promotional content could influence children, marking a significant tightening of marketing rules in the gaming industry.
The Advertising Standards Authority on Wednesday prohibited adverts by Kwiff and Betway after determining both breached regulations designed to protect under-18s from gambling marketing. The rulings follow a complaint lodged by a researcher from the University of Bristol, highlighting growing academic scrutiny of gambling promotion tactics.
Kwiff, operated by Eaton Gate Gaming, published a post on X in July featuring Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton alongside text promoting the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Despite including age-restriction warnings and responsible gambling logos, the ASA determined Hamilton’s widespread recognition amongst young people made the advertisement irresponsible.
The regulator pointed to Hamilton’s substantial youth following, noting his 150,000 under-18 Instagram followers in the UK alone, alongside his appearances in family-friendly contexts including the F1 24 video game rated for ages three and above.
Kwiff defended its approach, arguing internal data suggested Hamilton’s audience skewed older. The firm maintained the post was intended to drive traffic to editorial content rather than direct gambling activity. Following the ruling, Kwiff has reviewed its social media presence and removed content featuring mainstream sports figures.
Industry impact
Betway faced similar censure over a YouTube advertisement filmed in May showing football supporters wearing clothing emblazoned with Chelsea FC’s logo. As the club’s official European betting partner, Betway argued it possessed contractual rights to use the branding and warned the ruling could establish a damaging precedent for sports gambling sponsorships.
However, the ASA determined the prominent display of Chelsea imagery on scarves, lanyards, and stadium backdrops within a fan-focused setting would strongly resonate with young football enthusiasts.
The authority clarified that standalone logo usage would have been permissible, but the immersive fan experience depicted crossed regulatory boundaries.
Both firms have committed to implementing the ASA’s recommendations. Betway stated it maintains rigorous content review processes and would never knowingly breach advertising standards, whilst emphasising it has no interest in marketing to minors.
The rulings reflect intensifying pressure on gambling advertising practices. University of Bristol researchers have reported over 100 potentially offending social media advertisements to the ASA as part of ongoing studies documenting gambling marketing saturation during Premier League football coverage.
