The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has concluded its investigation into a gambling advertisement posted by former England cricket star Stuart Broad on the social platform X (formerly Twitter) on August 13, 2024.
The post was related to the gambling operator Fitzdares and was deemed not to violate the regulations set by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP).
In the social media post, Broad disclosed his partnership with Fitzdares and stated that he would use a monthly free betting bonus worth £500 (approximately $620) to raise funds for patients with motor neuron diseases.
The post included the #Ad tag and featured a photo of Broad playing cricket, in compliance with transparency requirements.
The complaint was raised by the anti-gambling charity GambleAware, questioning whether the advertisement had a "strong appeal" to those under 18, potentially breaching clauses 16.1, 16.3, and 16.3.12 of the Advertising Code.
In response, Fitzdares assessed Broad's online influence according to CAP guidelines, noting his limited activity and influence on youth-centric platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok. Social media data revealed that Broad has about 7,500 followers under the age of 18 in the UK across all his social accounts; additionally, his Facebook and YouTube accounts have been almost inactive for years.
It is noteworthy that Broad officially retired from professional cricket in 2023 and now primarily engages in broadcasting and commentary work. The ASA noted that although Broad was a well-known public figure during his athletic career, his current media activities are mainly aimed at adult audiences and are infrequent, thus significantly reducing his influence on minors.
Based on the assessment, the ASA determined that the advertisement was unlikely to have a strong appeal to those under 18 and did not constitute a violation, deciding to take no further action.
This ruling also re-emphasizes the need for advertisers to thoroughly assess the influence of endorsers and their audience when publishing gambling-related promotional content, to ensure compliance with regulatory standards protecting minors.
