ASA Warns Affiliate Over Ad for Non-Excluded Bookies in Self-Exclusion Search

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has issued a warning to a British betting affiliate after a complaint highlighted a paid search advertisement that appeared when a consumer searched for the term “self exclusion bookies.” The ad, which ran under the trading name Optival on the website bestbookiesandbettingsites.co.uk, promoted bookmakers that were not part of self-exclusion schemes.

The ASA received a complaint showing the ad’s text, which began with “Top 15” and directed users to the affiliate’s site. The regulator found that the advertisement exploited vulnerable individuals actively seeking to limit their gambling. By presenting non-excluded operators to someone looking for self-exclusion resources, the ad was deemed socially irresponsible.

As a result, the ASA warned Optival that the ad breached its rules on responsible advertising and gambling harm prevention. The affiliate was instructed to remove the advertisement and ensure that future paid search campaigns do not target search terms related to self-exclusion or other gambling harm reduction measures.

The case underscores the ASA’s ongoing scrutiny of affiliate marketing in the UK gambling sector. The regulator has increasingly targeted ads that risk reaching problem gamblers or those trying to restrict their play, reinforcing requirements for affiliates to vet both their ad copy and the audiences they reach.