Bet365 is one of the biggest online gambling companies in the world, with a jaw-dropping $3.41 billion revenue in 2022 alone! Over 90 million people use this platform to play casino games or to bet on sports. A big chunk of the top operators, as bet365 is regulated and licensed in the country, confirmed by BritishGambler.co.uk.
Usually, the company is very careful about the marketing materials it publishes to comply with local laws. But it failed in one of the ads run back in February 2023. The top advertising watchdog in the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), flagged this ad as appealing to minors.
According to sources, the ad was shared by Sky Sports Premier League’s Twitter Account. It was a bet365 branded promotion for a Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal. It’s the footage of Granit Xhaka that caused the trouble. According to the ASA, the Swiss footballer is followed by minors all over the UK, making the ad inappropriate.
In response, bet365 has claimed that it has nothing to do with the ad besides the text portion. The company confirmed that the ad went live as part of an agreement between the news media outlet and bet365. But the video production is handled solely by Sky Sports. The company also claims that the text on the ad is targeted at betters over 25 years old.
The ASA still didn’t budge from its ruling due to bet365’s “willingness to promote the tweet.” In the same report, ASA also concluded that gambling ads should not include soccer players as minors follow them.
This is the Not the Only Rule
Sports betting and gambling, in general, have been subject to criticism in the UK for the past few years. In 2022, regulatory bodies banned gambling operators from publishing ads containing high-level athletes and soccer players. The ban happened right before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Interestingly though, not all forms of advertisement fall into this category. Many major football clubs in the UK are sponsored by betting companies. They commonly supply sports equipment to clubs. To amend this issue, the ASA has banned front-of-shirt branding for gambling companies from the 2026/27 season of the Premier League.
As of now, bet365 is banned from running any ads, but you can view UK’s bet365 current bonus code offers for new players right here and take advantage of free bets or casino credits. However, the regulator wants the company to ensure that all its ads are free from content that may appeal to minors.
