The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has published marketing guidelines for gambling companies and operators during Euro 2024.
First and foremost, the ASA recommends avoiding the manipulation of statistics in advertising, pointing out that misleading advertising will not influence match results.
The ASA said: “Intellectual property in football is big business. Marketers will naturally want their brands to be associated with the likes of the National Teams and UEFA. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with this, falsely implying official endorsement is a likely breach of the Advertising Codes”.
Authorities say they consider the overall impression of the copy, including text, images, icons and symbols, when considering questions about intellectual property or advertising content.
“So if you can’t walk the walk, avoid talking the talk,” it asserted. “If you have any doubt about the use of intellectual property, please consider seeking legal advice”.
In addition, the ASA urged marketing teams to avoid using outdated controversial events. A reputable source raised questions about Diego Maradona’s famous “Hand of God” goal at the 1986 World Cup, which occurred more than 35 years ago, and noted that marketers still include it in their promotional materials.
“Controversy, glory, and misery have created many memorable ads, but marketers need to make sure they don’t go in two-footed and see red for it.”
Advertising still contains offensive stereotypes and the ASA warns marketers to be especially careful when using advertising that may include racial, cultural or national stereotypes.
The ASA also stressed that while the overall tone of the ad will be taken into account, using the phrase “it’s just banter” does not justify going over the line.
Authorities noted that football-related gambling advertising predates the European and World Cups and stressed that marketers should not use advertising to protect their bets.
According to the CAP Code, people under 25 years of age are not allowed to appear in most gambling advertisements, even those involving footballers.
While there is an exception for direct betting websites, the ASA advises businesses to ensure their advertising does not breach these restrictions.
Gambling advertisements should also avoid using star players who may be overly appealing to the under-18 audience.
The organization warns not to overdo it with the Man of the Match Champagne. As with gambling, there are specific rules governing alcohol advertising. Notably, such advertising should not target or reflect the culture of persons under 18 years of age, and persons under 25 years of age should not be depicted as playing a significant role.
The ASA also highlighted possible grounds for refusing advertising, including promoting self-confidence, intellectual or physical ability, and endorsing excessive consumption.
Advertising that displays behavior that condones or encourages violence or anti-social behavior should also be avoided during competitions.
Referring to the “infamous headbutt” in 2006, the ASA concluded: “We take ads that depict violence seriously. Other ads that may incur more than a points reduction include ads that depict vandalism, objectification or other anti-social behavior”.
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