ASA rules Oddschecker ads breached youth protection rule
Table of contents
- The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint against Oddschecker over two Instagram posts featuring Harry Kane and Erling Haaland, ruling the posts had strong appeal to under-18s.
- Oddschecker argued the posts were editorial content rather than advertising, but the ASA concluded they were designed to drive betting activity and fell within the CAP Code.
- A separate complaint against Betway, featuring retired footballer Thierry Henry, was not upheld.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned two social media posts by odds comparison platform Oddschecker (operated by Cyan Blue Odds Ltd), ruling they breached UK gambling advertising rules by featuring footballers with strong appeal to under-18s.
The decisions form part of the ASA’s ongoing monitoring of gambling advertising across social media platforms.
Oddschecker ruling
The two posts, reviewed by the ASA in November 2025, appeared on Oddschecker’s Instagram account. Oddschecker operates as an affiliate platform, directing users to licensed betting operators rather than accepting bets directly.
One post featured Harry Kane, Bayern Munich’s England captain, linked to his chances of winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or. The second featured Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and cited Oddschecker user data showing Norway as the most-backed team to win the 2026 World Cup.
Oddschecker argued the posts were primarily editorial in nature. The company said this was why they carried no age disclaimer or social responsibility messaging. It added that the account was set to restrict access to users aged 18 and over, though such platform-level restrictions do not prevent all underage access given self-reported age registration on Instagram.
The ASA rejected the editorial argument. It concluded that the posts were designed to encourage audiences to place bets via Oddschecker’s links to licensed operators, bringing them within scope of the CAP Code.
Per CAP guidance, active elite players in top-flight competitions are considered likely to hold strong appeal to under-18s, assessed on factors including current playing status, cultural relevance and youth following. Both Kane and Haaland meet that profile.
The watchdog also noted that many under-18s use Instagram and a significant number register with inaccurate date-of-birth details, undermining account-level age controls. The ASA ruled the posts irresponsible and ordered Oddschecker not to publish further content featuring individuals with strong appeal to under-18s.
An Oddschecker representative said:
“The content from last year referred to our own brand, with no operator involvement, and it was considered internally that the tone and content placed the posts within an editorial context around ‘football personalities and events’ rather than advertising.
“We have fully cooperated with the ASA throughout and have worked closely with our internal teams and partners to refresh both our guidance materials and approval processes, in acceptance of this ruling. We take this matter very seriously and over the last 25 years of operating the Oddschecker brand we have always maintained the highest compliance standards.”
Betway cleared
A complaint was also filed against Betway, the sports betting brand owned by Super Group, over an Instagram post featuring former Arsenal and Barcelona striker Thierry Henry. The post included a quote from Henry alongside the Betway logo, an 18+ badge and a GambleAware logo, elements the ASA acknowledged as part of Betway’s compliance position.
Betway argued Henry, 48, had retired from professional football more than a decade ago and left the Premier League in 2007, transitioning since into punditry. The brand provided data showing Henry’s UK-based under-18 Instagram following at approximately 19,483 accounts, well below the benchmark of around 100,000 that CAP guidance introduced in October 2025 as indicative of strong youth appeal.
The ASA agreed. It found Henry was more likely to be recognised as a pundit, that his television appearances were unlikely to give him strong appeal to younger audiences, and that his social media following was not skewed toward under-18s. No further action was taken.
The contrast between the two cases reflects a broader principle now embedded in CAP guidance: active elite players carry a high youth appeal risk as a matter of course, retired players and pundits are assessed case by case.
Pressure on affiliates
The rulings arrive against a backdrop of tightening enforcement. In October 2025, the ASA upheld complaints against Sky Bet, Kwiff and Betway for similar youth appeal breaches, one week after CAP published updated guidance including the 100,000-follower indicator.
Earlier in April 2026, the watchdog reversed a previous youth appeal ruling against Ladbrokes over its Ladbucks rewards campaign following reconsideration.
The Oddschecker decision makes clear that the editorial-versus-advertising distinction is unlikely to carry weight with the ASA where posts are designed to direct audiences toward betting platforms.
And with the 2026 World Cup approaching and promotional activity around the tournament already skyrocketing, affiliates and operators face new compliance risks over any social media content featuring active players.
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