The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against Hollywoodbets after one of its ads appeared on an esports stats site and was shown to a registered underage user.
What makes this case stand out is that the ad wasn’t placed directly by Hollywoodbets, but by an affiliate marketing partner, which marks one of the few recent rulings where an operator was found to be in breach due to the actions of an affiliate.
About the ad
The banner in question was spotted on www.the-VFL.com, the website of the Virtual Football League (VFL), an EA SPORTS FC esports platform.
Seen on 10 April 2025, the content promoted an offer of ‘UP TO £30 BACK AS FREE BETS + 20 FREE SPINS’ alongside images of athletes from various sports and a call-to-action button reading ‘SIGN HERE’.
It was seen by a 16-year-old user, who had entered their real date of birth when registering on the site. The ASA confirmed the user was logged in when the ad was served, initiating concerns about age-appropriate targeting.
The ad was delivered by Clever Advertising (Playhill Ltd), a third-party affiliate working with Hollywoodbets International UK Ltd.
In its response, Clever Advertising said it had assessed the site as suitable for gambling ads, arguing that VFL.com’s esports content – specifically 11v11 Pro Clubs gameplay – was generally targeted at older players.
The group also pointed to EA Sports FC demographic data suggesting that less than 25% of players were under 18. The ad had reportedly been approved to appear only before users logged in, not during logged-in sessions.
The verdict
Despite the arguments, the ASA upheld the complaint and found the ad had been served inappropriately. The watchdog ruled the ad breached several parts of the CAP Code, including rules designed to prevent gambling ads from being directed at under-18s.
Affiliate marketing plays a significant role in the UK gambling sector, but ASA rulings in recent years have largely focused on ads placed directly by operators.
Hollywoodbets has now confirmed that the ad had been placed by Clever Advertising and said it cooperated fully with the ASA. Meanwhile, The-VFL.com said it had no control over the specific ads served on its site and removed the promotion once the complaint was raised.
Social media crackdown
The ruling comes just a month after the ASA sided with Buzz Bingo following complaints about a Facebook ad, showing the extent of online advertising and the potential pitfalls that can come from this for operators.
The ASA received two complaints concerning a post from the Buzz Bingo Grimsby Facebook page in April, which used an action figure to promote its bingo offering.
The complainants raised concerns that the ad’s design, particularly the use of the action figure, could appeal to children and potentially encourage underage gambling.
