Kane and Haaland's Instagram Betting Ads Slammed and Banned for Kid Appeal

Two Instagram advertisements featuring well-known footballers Harry Kane and Erling Haaland have been banned in the United Kingdom. The decision was made by the Advertising Standards Authority, or ASA, which is the UK's advertising watchdog. The ads were for an online betting site called Oddschecker. According to the ASA, the ads were 'irresponsible' because Kane and Haaland are very popular among people under 18 years old. This means that the ads could encourage children to become interested in betting, which is not allowed.

Oddschecker, the company that posted the ads, argued that their Instagram account was set so only people over 18 could see the content. They also said that the posts were meant to be editorial, or just for information, and not actual advertisements. Because of this, they did not include any warnings about gambling or messages about responsible betting. However, the ASA did not accept this explanation. They pointed out that many children do not use their real date of birth when signing up for Instagram, so it is possible that underage users could still see the ads.

The ASA began investigating the ads after a researcher from Bristol University made a complaint. One ad showed Harry Kane with a caption saying he was the most popular player to win the Ballon d'Or in 2026, which is a big football award. The other ad showed Erling Haaland and said that Norway was the most popular team to win the 2026 World Cup according to bets placed through Oddschecker. The ASA said that using such famous footballers in betting ads is risky because they have a strong appeal to children. As a result, the ASA decided that the ads were irresponsible and broke the advertising code.

In a separate case, the ASA looked at another Instagram ad featuring former footballer Thierry Henry, who is now a sports pundit. This ad was for a different betting company called Betway. The ASA decided that this ad did not break the rules because Thierry Henry is not as popular with children as Kane and Haaland. The ASA's actions show that they are serious about protecting young people from gambling ads, especially when those ads feature celebrities who are admired by children.

The ASA's decision is part of a larger effort to make sure that advertising, especially on social media, does not encourage risky behavior among young people. They want companies to be careful about who sees their ads and to make sure that children are not exposed to gambling content. This case also highlights the challenges of keeping children safe online, since it can be hard to control who sees what on social media platforms like Instagram. The ASA will continue to monitor ads and take action when they believe the rules have been broken.