UK regulator blocks Instagram betting ads featuring Harry Kane and Erling Haaland over youth appeal

(AsiaGameHub) –   The advertisements were found to have “strong appeal to under-18s.”

In the UK, two Instagram posts showcasing images of footballers Harry Kane and Erling Haaland have been prohibited by the nation’s advertising regulator. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the promotions for Oddschecker, an online platform that compares bookmaker odds, were “irresponsible” because the players hold “strong appeal to under-18s.”

Both posts were shared to Oddscheckertv’s Instagram account, leading to a complaint filed by a Bristol University researcher in November 2025. The first post included an image of Harry Kane alongside a caption reading “Harry Kane is the most backed player to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or (32% of bets) [trophy emoji]”.

The second post featured an image of Erling Haaland. The accompanying text stated “NORWAY ARE THE MOST BACKED TO WIN THE 2026 WORLD CUP”. The caption noted “In the last 24 hours, bets on Norway to win the 2026 World Cup have been the most frequently placed through oddschecker. […] Their odds have shortened to an average of 50/1, though some bookmakers still offer 80/1… [eyes emoji]”.

Cyan Blue Odds Ltd, the operator of Oddschecker, argued that the posts were “primarily editorial in nature, rather than advertisements” and stressed that its Instagram account was restricted to users aged 18 and over. It explained that this was why no age disclaimer or responsible gambling message was included.

However, the ASA countered that “at least a significant number of children who provided false dates of birth when signing up” would have been able to access the content. It ruled that Kane and Haaland pose “a high risk of strong appeal to under-18s.” As such, the posts were deemed irresponsible and breached the CAP Guidance on Gambling and lotteries.

Thierry Henry ad cleared

These cases are part of a series of probes being carried out into social media betting promotions. In a separate matter, the regulator has dismissed a complaint regarding an Instagram post from Betway. That post featured former Arsenal striker turned pundit Thierry Henry. Unlike Kane and Haaland, Henry was judged to be unlikely to have strong appeal to under-18s, meaning the ad did not violate the rules.

Also reported in November, the post featured an image of Henry with text reading “FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, I CAN SEE THIS TEAM WINNING THE LEAGUE – NOT JUST AS AN ARSENAL FAN, BUT AS A FOOTBALL FAN AND AN ANALYST […]”. The image included the Betway logo, the text “bet the responsible way”, an 18+ symbol, and the begambleaware.org logo.

As with other recent rulings, this matter came down to the former player’s level of recognition among young people. The ASA noted that Henry retired from football in 2014 and, aside from a short loan spell back at Arsenal in 2012, left the UK Premier League in 2007 and European football in 2010.

As a result, the regulator judged him to be “primarily known among adult football fans rather than the younger generation”. It also took into account that at the time of the ad, Henry’s punditry and analysis was mainly for CBS Sports, a US network not available in the UK, rather than youth-focused channels. While the ASA acknowledged that some Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football clips could go viral, these typically focus on tactical analysis and in-depth football discussion — formats that appeal more to adults than under-18s.

Last month, the ASA reversed a prior ruling against Ladbrokes’ Ladbucks rewards initiative. In June 2025, the regulator had upheld two complaints claiming that the Entain-owned operator’s Ladbucks branding and imagery bore a resemblance to in-game currencies such as Fortnite’s V-Bucks and Roblox’s Robux, potentially making the campaign appealing to children.

In its revised ruling, the ASA acknowledged that some parallels existed but concluded the similarities were too general to create a “strong” appeal to under-18s. It recognized that token-based systems are common not only in gaming but also in adult loyalty programmes.