The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a Betway video featuring Declan Rice, because he is under 25 years old.
The banned ‘advert’ was on Betway’s YouTube channel in October, and showed the England and West Ham player falling victim to a car clamp (wheel boot) prank.
However, a single viewer complained to the ASA because Rice was 20 years old. The ASA subsequently decided the video breached its decree that people under 25 aren’t allowed to play a ‘significant’ role in gambling advertising.
In response Betway pointed out it was ‘editorial’ content, not an ad, did not show the player in a sporting context, nor did it refer to odds or promotions, and didn’t even have a link to the Betway site.
Despite this, the ASA said because the video appeared on the bookies YouTube channel, featured sports people wearing football shirts emblazoned with the Betway logo, and ended with Betway branding, it was an advert.
