Influencer Astrid Wett’s Gambling Ad Ruled Unlawful

The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that a promotional post for “Festival Free Bets” shared by influencer Astrid Wett violated regulations due to her age.

The advertisement, which appeared on X (formerly Twitter) on March 12th, 2024, featured Wett at Cheltenham Racecourse. A complaint was filed alleging that the ad contravened gambling guidelines because Wett was only 23 years old.

Wett informed the ASA that she was unaware of the age restrictions for gambling advertisements outlined in the CAP Code. She believed that being 18 years old was sufficient.

The CAP Code establishes regulations for advertisements in the UK.

The ASA stated that Wett expressed regret for breaching the rules and acknowledged the significance of responsible gambling practices.

However, Festival Free Bets did not respond to the ASA. The agency expressed concern over this “lack of response and disregard for the code.”

The ASA concluded that Festival Free Bets violated rule 1.7 of the Cap Code.

This regulation specifies that any unwarranted postponement in responding to an ASA inquiry will be considered a breach.

The ASA reminds Festival Free Bets that it has a responsibility to answer inquiries promptly and expects it to maintain this practice in the future.

In its evaluation, the ASA reaffirms that individuals under the age of 25 should not have a “primary role” in the marketing communications of gambling promotions. Exceptions are marketing communications where wagers are placed directly through a transactional platform (such as the operator’s website) and the subject of the advertisement is also the subject of the wager.

“Although we recognize that Festival Free Bets itself is not a licensed gambling provider, using it would expose consumers to an environment where they interact with gambling services,” the ASA’s assessment states.

“Consequently, we believe that it is reckless to have someone under the age of 25 play a primary role in their advertising.”

The advertisement was deemed reckless.

Ultimately, the ASA determined that Wett was the focal point of the advertisement and therefore had a primary role. The agency stated that the ad also violated CAP Code rule 1.3, which stipulates that marketing must be conducted responsibly.

The issue has been forwarded to CAP’s compliance team. The ASA has informed Festival Free Bets that the advertisement must not reappear and to ensure that the advertisement only features individuals aged 25 and older.

The ASA has criticized numerous gambling advertisements in recent months.

This past March, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) instructed LeoVegas to remove its BetUK sports betting radio advertisement. The ad featured former professional soccer player Adebayo Akinfenwa, and the ASA concluded that it might be appealing to young people.

Towards the end of last year, the ASA examined a complaint concerning a Mecca Bingo advertisement that suggested gambling could enhance self-assurance. In the end, the complaint was validated.

With the approaching 2024 European Championship, the ASA restated its advertising rules for operators last month. Operators are prohibited from utilizing individuals under the age of 25 in their ads, including soccer players. Advertisements must also not be appealing to those under the age of 18.

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