ASA clears Betfair of wrongdoing in radio ad complaint case

A complaint about Betfair promoting a gambling product over the radio has been turned down by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

In a statement, the ASA noted it received a complaint that an advertisement about Betfair’s online casino was heard on Radio X around 8am on 3 September 2024, arguing that children could have heard it. 

The authority then subsequently requested an explanation from PPB Entertainment Ltd, trading as Betfair, about the matter.

The operator responded by confirming that the ad was cleared by Radiocentre prior to airing, with the understanding that it should not be broadcast on stations whose usual demographic is under 18s.  

According to the statement, Radio X primarily plays current and classic rock, as well as indie and alternative music, and does not feature any new releases or pop music. 

Betfair argued that this was enough to conclude that the radio station’s audience is predominantly between the ages of 25 and 44. Third-party market research data was submitted to further support this claim, showing that 88% of Radio X listeners were over 25. 

Additionally, the ad was played during ‘The Chris Moyles Show’, where the presenter is a former Radio 1 DJ active between 2004 and 2012, adding to the claim that the audience familiar with him would also be mostly adults. 

Radiocentre also confirmed that the ad had been cleared with scheduling advice and that it programmatically targeted listeners registered on their mobile devices as being 25 or older. 

The ASA also investigated figures from the Radio Joint Audience Research (RAJAR), which showed that under-18s comprised “a low proportion” (6%) of the audience at the time of broadcast. 

As a result, the complaint was not upheld by the regulator, who stated that no further action was necessary.