The UKs Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has directed LeoVegas to remove its BetUK sports betting radio advertisement, stating it was “irresponsible” and could entice minors.
The advertisement, which was broadcast in September 2023, featured former soccer player Adebayo Akinfenwa, a BetUK brand representative, discussing the various secure gambling tools provided by BetUK, including deposit restrictions, reality checks, and timeout settings, and urging players to “always gamble responsibly with BetUK.”
However, the ASA received objections that the advertisement could attract those under 18 years old. The objections argued that the character in the advertisement held strong appeal to children, thus breaching BCAP guidelines.
LeoVegas and BetUK refuted the objections, asserting that they did not believe the advertisement would appeal to those under 18. They highlighted that Akinfenwa, at 41 years old and retired, was unlikely to be popular with children.
Moreover, they emphasized that Akinfenwa’s career was mainly spent in lower divisions, never reaching the top-tier Premier League, making the advertisement’s appeal to under-18s minimal.
BetUK asserted that Akinfenwa’s renown outside of the sport doesn’t imply he’s well-liked by youngsters. They highlighted that his clothing line doesn’t offer anything for children.
Akinfenwa is present on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Snapchat. On Instagram, 8% of his followers are under 18, and on Snapchat, it’s 18%. They lack age data for the other platforms.
BetUK also stated the advertisement wasn’t targeted at children and was on a radio show for adults. Radiocentre, the BBC’s commercial branch, concurred.
**The ASA sided with the complaint.**
Despite BetUK’s defense, the ASA agreed with the complaint, stating it violated the BCAP code. This code dictates that gambling advertisements shouldn’t attract children. They also can’t utilize individuals who might appeal to those under 18.
The ASA recognized that Akinfenwa plays in a lower league, making him “low risk” according to BCAP. However, they asserted his social media presence makes him “medium risk” because it could appeal to children.
The ASA also indicated that Akinfenwa’s overall image might appeal to children.
This encompasses his fame stemming from his physical prowess, which made him the most powerful player in numerous editions of the FIFA video game enjoyed by youngsters.
The ASA stated they believe Akinfenwa’s public image and how he promotes himself would lead some soccer fans to view him as a cult figure in the sport.
“Consequently, we believe that his media presence, and what we consider an unusually high profile for a former lower-league footballer, would place him in the ‘medium risk’ category of the guidelines.”
Social media focus on an issue
Regarding his social media presence, utilizing data from Instagram and Snapchat supplied by BetUK, it indicates that at least 157,000 followers were under the age of 18 at the time.
The BCAP guidelines declare that “generally, a large number of social media followers, attracting a substantial number of under-18s, which can be determined through quantitative or qualitative analysis, is likely to be considered an indicator of ‘strong’ appeal”. The ASA stated this applies to Akinfenwa.
“We believe that over 157,000 followers under the age of 18, with the actual number potentially higher due to missing data from other social media platforms, is a substantial number in absolute terms,” the ASA stated.
Although Akinfenwa’s professional journey and public image as a lower-division player might classify him as “moderate risk,” given his substantial following among young people on social media, we deem him to be in the “high risk” category and potentially highly attractive to young people.
The Advertising Standards Authority, in its decision, declared that the advertisement contravened the UK Advertising Standards Authority Code (Edition 12), Section 17.4 and 17.4.5, concerning gambling.
Consequently, the Advertising Standards Authority asserts that the advertisement should not be displayed again in its present form. The ASA also informed LeoVegas Gaming and BetUK that they should refrain from featuring individuals or characters who are highly appealing to young people in any future marketing campaigns.
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