The United Kingdom's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has reached decisions on two separate gambling advertisements from White Hat Gaming and Midnite. One advertisement was found to comply with regulations, while the other was banned.
In a favorable ruling for White Hat Gaming, the ASA cleared two ads for Casimba and The Grand Ivy Casino that were displayed on the website HLTV during a live broadcast of Counter-Strike 2. The authority did not find any evidence indicating that these advertisements were targeted at individuals under eighteen. The ads featured a 100% match bonus up to £100 on the first deposit and included age restriction logos.
White Hat Gaming argued that HLTV is an esports-focused site primarily aimed at adult players interested in professional Counter-Strike. The ASA acknowledged that while esports live streaming might attract a younger audience, there was no evidence to suggest that people under 18 made up more than 25% of HLTV’s viewers. Consequently, the ASA determined that the advertisements did not violate the CAP Code.
Conversely, Midnite faced a violation ruling due to a TikTok video ad featuring a character who appeared to be under the age of twenty-five. According to ASA regulations, characters in gambling advertisements must be over 25 years old. The ad, showcasing a man promoting a betting app during the World Cup, did not receive prior approval from Midnite, as it was created by Limay Media. Limay Media explained that the ad bypassed the usual review process, leading to its quick banning upon review.
Recognizing the young appearance of the character, which suggested he could belong to a late teenage or early 20s demographic, the ASA ordered Midnite to refrain from using the advertisement again and prohibited the company from featuring characters under 25 in future campaigns. This decision marks the second time in recent months that the ASA ruled against Midnite, as a prior campaign involving characters facing everyday challenges before turning to gambling apps was also banned in August.
