UK Bans Instagram Betting Ads Featuring Kane and Haaland for Irresponsibility

Two adverts featuring football stars Harry Kane and Erling Haaland on Instagram have been banned by the UK’s advertising watchdog for being deemed “irresponsible”. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has stated that these ads, promoting an online betting site, breached their guidelines because Kane and Haaland have a “strong appeal to under-18s”.

The ads in question were posted by Oddschecker, which argued that the content was “primarily editorial in nature, rather than ads,” claiming they had set the account to be accessible only to those aged 18 and over. However, the ASA pointed out that a significant number of children often do not use their real date of birth when signing up for platforms like Instagram. This investigation, initiated after a complaint from a Bristol University researcher, looked into the adverts from November last year.

One of the banned ads displayed a picture of Kane with the caption: “Harry Kane is the most backed player to win the Ballon d’Or in 2026 (32% of bets),” accompanied by a trophy emoji. The other ad featured Haaland, stating: “In the last 24 hours, Norway to win the 2026 World Cup is the most-backed bet placed through Oddschecker.”

Cyan Blue Odds Ltd, the company behind Oddschecker, acknowledged that featuring prominent footballers could indeed attract children. They maintained that the posts were not advertisements but rather general “editorial” content, which is why there were no disclaimers regarding age restrictions or responsible gambling messages. The ASA, however, rejected this defense, emphasizing that both Kane and Haaland have a high risk of appealing to younger audiences. They concluded that the ads were irresponsible and violated the advertising code.

Interestingly, the ASA did find another Instagram advertisement featuring former Arsenal player Thierry Henry compliant with their rules. They noted that Henry is unlikely to appeal strongly to those under 18, thus it did not breach the advertising code.

As the conversation around social media and advertising continues, some parents are left wondering how effectively the government will act to regulate such issues. Rhun ap Iorwerth pointed out that schools will have the authority to make their own rules, with a ban on Instagram betting ads expected in England. Meanwhile, a group of teenagers have expressed their reliance on social media for survival, while one school head described the situation as “a disaster”.

The landscape of social media has shifted dramatically from a space for friends to connect to an environment designed to maximize user engagement and, consequently, advertising revenue.

Kaynak: Orijinal Haber