Under-18 Attraction of Gary Neville Tweet Questioned by ASA

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) expressed concern over a Sky Bet advertisement that showcased ex-footballer Gary Neville. Their issue was the potential attraction of the ad to individuals below 18.

If an advertisement specifically targets individuals under 18, it violates the ASA’s CAP Code. The regulations in this code outline the best practices for advertising in the UK.

Notably, Sky Bet isn’t the only company under scrutiny. Other companies like Bet365 and Ladbrokes have faced similar concerns.

The advertisement in question was on X (previously known as Twitter) and included a video segment from The Overlap football podcast. In the video, Neville discusses potential Premier League winners, with the Sky Bet logo making appearances. The ending text acknowledged the sponsorship of Sky Bet, accompanied by the GambleAware logo.

The tweet itself posed a question about Gary Neville’s evolving stance on the Premier League winner, particularly with Man City in mind. It directed viewers to the third segment of The Overlap Fan Debate.

Sky Bet’s defense was straightforward. They insisted that Neville doesn’t particularly resonate with those under 18. The Overlap podcast, according to Sky Bet, caters to mature topics and has a meager 1.2% viewership of 13-17-year-olds. This percentage drops to 0.5% for episodes featuring Neville.

Furthermore, Sky Bet emphasized Neville’s diverse profile. Beyond his football days, he’s known as a pundit, commentator, and entrepreneur. He’s been affiliated with Sky Bet since 2018, and X hasn’t reported any grievances regarding the ad.

Yet, ASA remained firm in their stance. Their reasoning was based on the fact that X’s users confirm their age on their own. Consequently, the possibility of under-18 viewers can’t be completely negated. The ASA further highlighted that retired footballers turned pundits can still have a “moderate risk” appeal to younger viewers.

A dive into Neville’s social media revealed significant under-18 followership. On Instagram alone, 80,000 of his followers are under 18, with another 55,000 on X. This tally of 135,000 young followers was deemed substantial by ASA.

Given this significant followership, ASA determined that Neville inherently appealed to a younger audience. They deemed the advertisement in violation of the Code due to this perceived irresponsibility.