UK gambling ads with Lewis Hamilton and Chelsea logo banned over children influence

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A recent decision in the UK has resulted in the banning of gambling advertisements featuring Formula 1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton and the Chelsea football club logo. The move comes amid concerns that such ads could have a negative influence on children. The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) announced on Wednesday that ads by two gambling firms, Kwiff and Betway, have been banned following investigations into complaints.

Betway’s YouTube ad, which was seen in May, featured football fans sporting clothing with the Chelsea badge. On the other hand, Kwiff’s post on X in July promoted the British Grand Prix with an image of Hamilton. Both companies were cautioned against featuring any characters who might strongly appeal to viewers under the age of 18.

In response to the ban, the BBC reached out to the betting firms for comments. The ASA specifically mentioned in its ruling on Kwiff, operated by Eaton Gate Gaming, that a complaint was lodged by a researcher from the University of Bristol over concerns that the Hamilton post would attract under-18s. Eaton Gate Gaming defended their post, stating that it was meant to drive traffic to their company blog and thus did not have the intention to appeal to a younger audience.

Separately, ASA also found that Betway’s advertisement breached its code. The watchdog agency highlighted that YouTube was considered an unsuitable platform for such content, as there was no guarantee that under-18 viewers could be excluded from seeing the ad. Betway argued that they had the contractual right to use Chelsea’s logo as the club’s official European betting partner. They also pointed out that YouTube’s ad policies offered safeguards against under-18s being exposed to age-restricted content. The ban on the ad was criticized by Betway, who warned that it could set a damaging precedent for gambling sponsorships in the world of sports

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More

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