It seems that the recent ban on sports betting partnership agreements has not been enough to prevent UK football stars from emerging as local gambling and betting operators to promote wagering on FIFA World Cup matches. The partnerships in question have caused controversy because the adverts are not in line with the spirit of the regulations under which the use of celebrities for the promotion of gambling services is not allowed.
According to media reports, a number of top sports betting operators are using popular football players as brand ambassadors in violation of new regulations that were unveiled by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and came into effect on October 1st, 2022. As Casino Guardian reported at the time, under the new rules, gambling companies are not permitted to use famous sports personalities or other celebrities that may appeal to younger people or create associations with youth culture in their gambling ads.
However, despite the implementation of stricter regulations, there are still some grey areas. Technically, former football stars and managers are not considered particularly popular among young people, which remains subject to individual assessment depending on how popular they were in traditional and social media. This is exactly how sportsbook companies have been taking advantage of the loophole in order to use popular former football players to promote their services during the FIFA World Cup that started on November 20th in Qatar.
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A number of popular British gambling brands, such as Paddy Power, Betway, and BetVictor, have been among the companies that use football players and managers to promote their services during the World Cup. However, sportsbook operators argue that using former football stars in the ads promoting their services does not constitute a breach of any gambling sponsorship rules.
Paddy Power, which is owned and operated by Flutter Entertainment, has been working in collaboration with the former English striker Peter Crouch. Former Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Robbie Keane has inked a brand ambassador agreement with Betway, while the once-manager of AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Queens Park Rangers, Harry Redknapp, was unveiled by BetVictor as its brand ambassador for the World Cup.
Some anti-gambling campaigners in the UK, such as the charity organisation Gambling with Lives, have criticised the use of celebrities for sports betting promotion during the World Cup in Qatar, saying that such campaigns are not in the spirit of the regulations that were introduced by the Advertising Standards Authority earlier this year. According to representatives of Gambling with Lives, no former or current football players or managers should be involved in gambling product promotion, as such products and services are proven to be highly addictive, especially for younger and more vulnerable people.
The Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) has also shared their concern that the promotion of sports betting services during the 2022 World Cup could result in an increase in gambling addiction rates and a serious growth in the number of people who experience problems linked to gambling harm.
The UK Government has still been working on bringing some changes to the country’s gambling legislation. The process, however, has been delayed a few times due to the ongoing turmoil in British politics. Now, with the new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in charge, the changes may be unveiled soon.
- Author
Olivia Cole
