XLMedia Reprimanded for Mason Mount Instagram Ad

A recent ad from XLMedia’s Freebets.com brand has landed the affiliate group in hot water with the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).  The advertisement, visible on Instagram on 11 and 12 July, showcased Mason Mount, the noted footballer. At that time, Mount was with Chelsea, although he has since joined Manchester United.

Several eyebrows were raised over the ad’s compliance with regulations, especially since it starred a player under 25 years old. Despite two complaints being filed, XLMedia did not address the ASA’s outreach.

ASA’s judgment, while sharp, underscored XLMedia’s seeming indifference to regulations. The group’s silence, the authority opined, was a clear breach of CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 1.7, pointing to an undue delay.

Furthermore, the ASA reiterated the CAP Code’s directive against featuring individuals under 25 in a pivotal role in gambling advertisements. Even though Freebets.com isn’t a direct gambling entity but aggregates betting offers, the platform does pave the way for consumers to engage with gambling services.

Considering Mount was 24 during the ad’s release and was undeniably the spotlight of the promotion, the ASA found it irresponsible on XLMedia’s part. Hence, it emphasized that the ad had breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 1.3 related to social responsibility.

Concluding their statement, ASA mandated that this ad shouldn’t reappear in its existing design. They also advised XLMedia to be more discerning in the future, particularly about avoiding the significant inclusion of anyone under 25. The case has since been forwarded to the CAP’s compliance team.