Anthony Joshua Tweets Lead to ASA Rebuke for BetFred

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has recently issued a critical statement against BetFred for using tweets that prominently feature Anthony Joshua, expressing concerns about their strong appeal to individuals below 18 years of age. The tweets in question, disseminated on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) during March and April, showcased Joshua, a former boxing champion, in various aspects related to his career and mindset during fights.

BetFred countered the criticism by highlighting that its promotional content, including these tweets, is usually targeted at adults, specifically those above 25 years. Despite this, the ASA maintained its stance. It emphasized that while the number of Joshua’s young followers might be relatively small in percentage terms, in absolute numbers, they are considerably large – over 1.1 million under-18 followers, a figure significant enough to warrant concerns under the ASA’s CAP Code.

Further, the ASA clarified that although boxing is an adult-oriented sport and Joshua’s matches are often late-night events, his high profile and celebrity status still make him a strong figure of appeal to the younger audience. This perspective was influenced by the CAP guidance, which suggests that sports personalities with significant social media followings and celebrity status are at moderate risk of appealing to under-18s.

BetFred, on their part, argued that Joshua’s appeal to the younger audience is minimal. They claimed a thorough investigation into Joshua’s fan base showed negligible percentages of followers aged 13 to 17 across various social media platforms. BetFred also emphasized Joshua’s dwindling career trajectory, asserting that he has not held any championship title since 2021 and is nearing his career’s end, supposedly reducing his appeal to younger fans.

This incident with BetFred is not isolated. The ASA has previously targeted other companies like Sky Bet and XLMedia for using figures like Gary Neville and Mason Mount, respectively, in their advertisements, both deemed appealing to under-18 audiences. Conversely, William Hill was not found at fault in a similar scenario involving Robbie Savage, as the complaint regarding his appeal to the younger audience was dismissed.

BetFred’s situation sheds light on the sensitive nature of advertising in sports, particularly regarding the influence of celebrity athletes on younger audiences. The case underlines the need for advertisers to navigate carefully within the guidelines set by regulatory bodies like the ASA to ensure their marketing efforts do not inadvertently target or appeal to an inappropriate audience.