UK watchdog rejects complaint against gambling ad featuring former England cricketer
The complaint claimed that the Fitzdares advert would appeal to minors.
UK.- The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has determined that Fitzdares did not violate any regulations by using an advert featuring former England cricketer Stuart Broad. An anonymous complaint had been made about a post by Broad on X, the former Twitter.
In the post in question, Broad announced a partnership with Fitzdares. He explained that the operator was providing him with £500 a month to place bets, with any winnings going toward Motor Neurone Disease fundraising. The post invited his followers to offer betting tips ahead of the upcoming Premier League football season. It included a photo of him playing cricket and featured the hashtag #Ad.
The complainant said that Broad was likely to be of strong appeal to under 18s, which would put Fitzdares in breach of the CAP Code. However, Fitzdares responded by stating that it had conducted a “thorough” risk assessment in line with CAP guidelines on gambling and lotteries advertising. The operator expressed a “high degree” of confidence that Broad was not strongly appealing to under-18s.
Fitzdares noted that Broad retired in 2023 and now primarily works as a pundit, engaging in detailed cricket discussions that do not typically attract a young audience. The operator also pointed out that Broad’s appearances in other media, such as talk shows and documentaries, have been infrequent.
Regarding social media, Fitzdares cited data indicating that approximately 7,500 of Broad’s followers across all platforms are registered as under 18 in the UK. The majority are on Instagram, while just 76 of his 1.3 million X followers fall within this category. Additionally, Fitzdares noted that a significant portion of Broad’s followers across platforms are based in India.
Upon reviewing the complaint, the ASA referred to CAP Code regulations on gambling advertisements, which stipulate that such ads must not hold strong appeal for children or young people. This includes avoiding celebrities and athletes likely to attract a substantial underage following. Under the code, cricketers may be categorised as either “high risk” or “low risk” based on their current level of involvement in the sport.
While acknowledging Broad’s high-profile playing career, the ASA determined that his retirement in 2023 and subsequent role as a commentator diminished his appeal to under-18s compared to active England cricket players. The watchdog also noted that Broad does not maintain a strong presence in the UK beyond cricket-focused content, which is not designed for a younger audience.
In assessing Broad’s social media presence, the ASA noted that Broad’s Facebook and YouTube accounts had been inactive for several years and that he does not use TikTok or Snapchat.
It concluded: “Given his low absolute numbers of under-18 UK social media followers, in combination with his limited media profile and because he had retired from playing cricket, we considered Stuart Broad was not likely to be of strong appeal to under-18s.”
As such, the ASA concluded that the advertisement did not violate the CAP Code.
Late last year, the ASA rejected a complaint against an online casino advert from Flutter Entertainment’s Betfair. This case involved a radio ad that the complainant argued could have been heard by children.
