Wed, 22 Oct 2025

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 UK gambling ads with Lewis Hamilton and Chelsea logo banned over influence on children

UK's ad watchdog warns the betting companies not to include any character who has a strong appeal to viewers under the age of 18.
- Kwiff, a betting firm, published a post on X in July promoting the British Grand Prix with an image of Hamilton, despite his appeal to under-18s. - Betway's YouTube advert, seen in May, featured football fans wearing Chelsea badges and was deemed unsuitable for the platform as advertisers couldn't guarantee excluding under-18 viewers. Both betting companies were warned not to include characters appealing to those under 18. Kwiff claimed Hamilton appealed to an older audience, but ASA said his significant public profile, social media following, and appearances in family-friendly games and TV shows meant he had strong appeal among youths. Betway argued that YouTube's ad policies offered safeguards against under-18s being exposed to age-restricted content, but the ASA disagreed. The adverts were removed after complaints from a University of Bristol researcher and the BBC has contacted both betting firms for comments.
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