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Read Full BioThe UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has announced it has launched an investigation into Midnite over allegedly breaching advertising regulations intended to protect children.
Midnite, one of the UK’s fastest-growing online gambling platforms, has been made the subject of a complaint filed by researchers at the University of Bristol.
The London-based firm has been accused of using gambling-related social media content that could be considered appealing to minors.
The news follows a similar case earlier this month, in which the ASA publicly reprimanded LiveScore Bet for advertising gambling ads on its live results platform, accessible to underage users.
Youthful Appeal of Content Marketing Posts
Like other betting platforms, Midnite’s social media strategy relies heavily on content marketing campaigns, which produce promotional material as shareable social media posts.
However, while not technically illegal, the format of gambling-related content is governed by the UK Code of Non-Broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code).
As a result, gambling ads that appear to resonate with an underage audience, whether purposefully or unintentionally, are strictly prohibited in the UK.
In Midnite’s case, researchers from Bristol University cited memes and images of high-profile footballers, including Harry Kane, Jack Grealish, and Harry Maguire – all of whom are outlined in ASA guidance to likely appeal to under-18s.
In one instance, an image of Maguire’s face was superimposed to show him wearing a Brazilian football kit, which has since been viewed more than 2.6 million times.
As part of the complaint, the researchers stated that this content marketing is four times more appealing to children than adults, heightening the risks of minors being exposed to gambling-themed posts.
Other posts highlighted in the complaint included images of stars under 25 years old, such as Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, and 20-year-old influencer IShowSpeed, also known for having a large younger following.
The inference drawn is that Midnite’s marketing directly violates the CAP Code banning the use of under-25s.
Dr Raffaello Rossi, one of the lead researchers behind the complaint to ASA, went on the record to state: “These posts appear as entertaining content, making them harder to recognise as gambling promotions and more likely to be shared widely online, especially by children.”
Problematic Rise in Underage Exposure and Repeat Offending
The issue has received a lot of press coverage, notably since the UK Gambling Commission reported a sharp rise in problem gambling among minors.
Recent figures suggest that currently, 85,000 young people exhibit characteristics of problem gambling, a figure representing a twofold increase compared to a similar report from 2023.
Midnite’s critics argue that the firm is deliberately leveraging the viral nature of online social media posts without the required safeguards to protect Britain’s underage demographic.
The ASA recently cleared a Fitzdares campaign which featured ex-England cricketer Stuart Broad. Like Midnite’s, the campaign was also accused of targeting underage users, although it was later ruled that the campaign did not breach any ASA rules.
This is the fifth time Midnite’s advertising protocols have been brought to the ASA’s attention.
