Key Moments:
- ASA and CAP released revised gambling advertising rules on 14 October 2025, updating the previous 2022 guidance
- The Gambling Commission’s 2024 survey found 62% of 11 to 17-year-olds had encountered online gambling ads last year
- Non-UK operators holding a Great Britain gambling license have been required to comply with these rules since 1 September 2025
New Framework for Gambling Advertisers
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP and BCAP) have overhauled their approach to gambling marketing. The tightened set of guidelines, unveiled on 14 October 2025, supersede guidance issued in 2022 and provide updated clarity on the “strong appeal” rules for advertising across sports, music, animation, social media, and game design.
This update follows a series of enforcement actions, industry introspection, and detailed studies into youth exposure to gambling promotions. Data from the Gambling Commission’s Young People and Gambling 2024 report revealed that 62 percent of individuals aged 11 to 17 encountered gambling advertisements online last year, particularly around football and eSports.
Risks in Sports and Social Media Marketing
A significant adjustment now requires advertisers to account for the combined under-18 following across all platforms for every personality featured in an ad—not just the platform hosting the advertisement itself. CAP has advised that 100,000 under-18 followers in total signals strong youth appeal and triggers compliance requirements. However, context may affect this threshold.
Football is highlighted as a critical risk area. Notably, top-tier players, national team stars, and even AI-generated representations of well-known athletes are categorized as likely to appeal to under-18s. Regulatory decisions in September and July 2025 demonstrated the ASA’s willingness to block ads falling foul of these new standards, such as parodies of star players and esports-themed campaigns involving athletes.
Under-25 Rule and Content Restrictions
Regulators have reiterated existing rules barring anyone under 25 from portraying influential roles in gambling promotions. The codes explicitly exclude individuals under 25 or those appearing or behaving in a youthful manner from such advertisements. The revised advertisement rules emphasize removing under-25s and require confirming that all individuals featured have minimal appeal to youth audiences.
Permissible imagery remains limited. Acceptable advertising elements include generic or stylized representations of the sport, competition or team logos, and individuals over the age of 25 who possess low youth followings.
Acceptable and Prohibited Creative Approaches
CAP guidance allows certain forms of generic depictions when promoting gambling products, such as:
- Text or audio referring to the sport or gambling product
- Generic imagery (e.g., balls, arenas, goalposts)
- Official logos and operator branding
- Endorsers aged 25+ with minimal under-18 audience
In contrast, the revised rules prohibit using animation styled after children’s cartoons, fairy tales, or popular youth themes (including pirates, princesses, superheroes, “cute” animals, and graphics resembling video games). Music favored by minors and youth-centric content—including slang and memes—are now banned. Game tiles and banners visible before login fall under strict scrutiny, particularly on affiliate websites.
Enforcement and Accountability
ASA has committed to applying a rigorous enforcement policy. Rulings will remain entry-driven, with consequences ranging from ad withdrawal to referral to the Gambling Commission for possible license condition breaches. Monitoring is systematic, using both manual and AI tools to track content published across digital platforms.
The enforcement process involves public adjudications, order for ad withdrawal or revision, and escalation in cases of serious or repeated violations. Sanctions remain on the public record for at least two years.
International Reach and Marketing Compliance
Since 1 September 2025, all non-UK-based brands licensed to serve Great Britain have been under CAP’s jurisdiction for gambling ad content. Regardless of physical location, compliance is mandatory for creative targeting UK audiences.
| Entity | Date of Ruling | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Dribble Media Ltd t/a Midnite | 17 September 2025 | AI parody appealing to under-18s |
| Hollywoodbets | 23 July 2025 | Ad placement on esports platform targeting youth |
| Play’n GO Malta Ltd | July 2025 | Banner ads with cartoon/anime imagery likely to attract under-18s |
Third Parties and Affiliate Obligations
Affiliates and partners publishing promotional materials for licensed UK operators are held to the same strict standards. The updated rules cover any marketing communication under a marketer’s control—including affiliates, agencies, and creative partners.
Conclusion
The updated gambling advertising code presents one of the most detailed frameworks internationally, spanning creative and targeting controls for all UK-licensed parties, regardless of location. Regulatory bodies have signaled that non-compliance will draw prompt and visible consequences.
- Author
Daniel Williams
