Instagram betting ads featuring Kane and Haaland banned

Source: BBC Technology

Ads banned by the ASA

Two adverts on Instagram that featured football stars Harry Kane and Erling Haaland were banned for being “irresponsible”, the UK’s advertising watchdog says.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ads, which promoted an online betting site, breached its code because Kane and Haaland have a “strong appeal to under‑18s”.

Oddschecker, which posted the images, claimed they were “primarily editorial in nature, rather than ads” and that it had set the account to 18‑plus. However, the ASA noted that “at least a significant number of children who had not used their real date of birth when signing up” to Instagram.

The ASA investigated the adverts after a complaint from a researcher at Bristol University in November.

Details of the adverts

• One post showed 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 post featured Haaland with the caption:
  “In the last 24 hours, Norway to win the 2026 World Cup is the most‑backed bet placed through oddschecker.”

Cyan Blue Odds Ltd, trading as Oddschecker, acknowledged that featuring top footballers could appeal to children and said it had set the account so only over‑18s could see it. It argued the posts were editorial content rather than advertising, which is why there was no age disclaimer or responsible‑gambling message.

The ASA dismissed this defence, considering Kane and Haaland “to be a high risk of strong appeal to under‑18s”. It concluded the ads were irresponsible and breached the code.

ASA’s decision

The ASA ruled that the two Instagram ads breached its advertising code and ordered them to be removed. It emphasized that the lack of age‑restriction measures and the strong appeal of the footballers to minors made the adverts non‑compliant.

Other Instagram ad examined

The ASA also reviewed a separate Instagram ad for Betway that featured ex‑Arsenal forward and pundit Thierry Henry. It determined that Henry was unlikely to have a strong appeal to under‑18s, so the ad did not breach the ASA’s rules.