Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) sanctions are nothing new for UK gambling operators. But the triple whammy of rulings handed down in October to Sky Bet, kwiff and Betway – all of them found to have breached the ‘strong appeal’ to under-18s rules – felt like a significant escalation by the ad regulator.   

The announcement of the three sanctions, all on 22 October, came just a week after the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) – the body behind the advertising code that the ASA upholds – issued updated guidance for gambling operators. One key clarification was the suggestion that a total of at least 100,000 social media followers is indicative of ‘strong appeal’.

This rule of thumb was the key factor in Sky Bet being sanctioned by the ASA for including its logo on an X post back in February 2023, featuring a clip of footballer-turned-broadcaster Gary Neville talking on The Overlap football podcast. ASA guidance specifically states that a “long-retired footballer now known for punditry/commentary” would be in the ‘low-risk’ category, yet the sheer volume of Neville’s social media following bumped him up to being of ‘moderate risk’ of appealing to under-18s, despite his lengthy retired status, the UK regulator said.  

Defies common sense

In response to the ASA’s confirmation of its decision, originally made in October 2023, the brand’s parent company, Flutter Entertainment, claimed the ruling “defies precedent as well as common sense”. 

“Not one person complained about this tweet, either t...