Three tweets from the gambling operator, Betfred, have been banned for featuring the former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

According to the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), featuring a figure such as Joshua violates gambling advertising rules.

In the new regulations, the ASA states that gambling operators may not promote their products “by reflecting or being associated with youth culture”.

The tweets in question featured promotion for a fight shared in March and April.

Appeal to young people

In a statement by the ASA, it is claimed that Joshua’s presence in the tweets could strongly appeal to under-18s.

This is yet another instance where the new advertising rules against appealing to potential underage gamblers have been enforced by the ASA.

This regulatory action comes in lieu of the ASA’s banning of a SkyBet advertisement that saw ex-Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville, appear in a similar tweet.

Betfred

Betfred rejected the ASA’s claims and has expressed full intent to request an independent review of this decision. 

Betfred’s tweets feature Joshua discussing his diet, his preparation routine and his pre-fight mentality, before his bout with Jermaine Fraklin.

The operator is claiming that boxing is an adult-oriented sport due to its late-night air time and the fact that the matches are streamed under the pay-per-view system. Moreover, these fights may only be bought by over-18s.

Additionally, Betfred has also stated that this material was not explicitly promotional but “editorial” in nature.

Social media presence

The bookies did admit that the boxer is discernibly popular on social media, with 29.3 million followers worldwide.

However, Betfred was keen to highlight that this following is overwhelmingly an adult audience.

According to the ASA’s claims, however, it was found that approximately one million of Joshua’s 15.7 million Instagram followers were registered as under-18s, along with 82,00 followers on Snapchat.

The watchdog found these numbers significant enough to suggest that Joshua possesses a strong appeal to a young audience.

Betfred was then instructed that these ads must not appear again in any form and was warned against using figures who appeal to young people in the future.

Betfred disagrees with this decision with a spokesperson from the company stating:

“It should also be remembered that the ASA did not receive a single complaint from a member of the public about our association with Anthony Joshua in this respect.”

Join us in Malta between the 13 – 17 November for SiGMA Europe 2023

SiGMA Europe’s Malta Week festival brings together a diverse and international group of industry leaders for a convergence of expo, conference, and networking. The event will be held at the Mediterranean Maritime Hub (MMH), a larger, more dynamic venue that promises a raw, industrial, and unconventional space unlike anything ever used before.