The United Kingdom’s advertising regulatory body, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), determined that a Facebook advertisement from the gaming firm BetVictor violated regulations. The ad, which featured football players Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba during their time at FC Barcelona, was deemed “highly likely to hold strong appeal for minors” by the ASA. In essence, the ASA concluded that children would perceive the advertisement as enticing and captivating.
BetVictor countered that the mere inclusion of well-known athletes should not automatically categorize an advertisement as targeting children. They emphasized that neither Busquets nor Alba possessed the global superstar status of players like Messi or Ronaldo. Furthermore, BetVictor highlighted that the advertisement ran at a time when neither athlete had played against an English Premier League team for several years, nor were they members of the English or Welsh national teams.
Nevertheless, the ASA stood by its decision, citing its revised 2022 guidelines, which explicitly state that gambling advertisements cannot be crafted in a manner that would be alluring to young audiences. This encompasses the utilization of individuals or figures whom children and adolescents idolize and aspire to emulate.
Felix Faulkner, an attorney with the legal practice Popleston Allen, offered his perspective on the latest decision concerning sports figures and endorsements. He remarked that the judgment provides increased transparency regarding which athletes are subject to the ASA’s updated regulations, particularly those competing for clubs outside of Britain. This holds considerable weight as it broadens the reach of these regulations beyond what was initially defined by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) upon their implementation in the preceding October.
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