Erling Haaland And Harry Kane Oddschecker Ads Banned; Betway Cleared

Instagram adverts involving Erling Haaland and Harry Kane have been barred by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) following a thorough investigation.

The ads, which featured in November 2025 on Oddschecker, an online betting platform comparing the odds of trusted UK bookmakers, were pulled up after a Bristol University researcher lodged a complaint.

The ads, which were contrasting, were designed to stir up excitement. One depicted an image of Kane along with the following caption: “Harry Kane is the most backed player to win the Ballon d’Or in 2026 (32% of bets),” accompanied by a trophy emoji.

Meanwhile, the text for the Haaland ad read: “In the last 24 hours, Norway to win the 2026 World Cup is the most-backed bet placed through Oddschecker.”

Overstepping the boundaries

The ads were brought to task after the complaint suggested Haaland and Kane would be of strong appeal to Under-18s. During its investigation, the ASA considered whether the posts fell outside of the regulations covered in its UK code of Non-broadcast, Advertising, Sales Promotions and Direct Marketing (CAP Code).

Although the ASA conceded Oddschecker’s service was not strictly gambling, the ads, they suggested, put consumers in a position where they were directly engaging with betting services. At this point, the ASA had to ascertain whether the posts were being used to promote placing a bet with a bookie through Oddschecker.

After gathering its findings, the ASA deemed the ads “irresponsible”, citing how they encouraged gambling. Subsequently, the ads fell outside of the CAP code’s remit, and the complaint was upheld.

Oddschecker sticks to editorial line

Unsurprisingly, Oddschecker stuck to its guns over the Haaland and Kane ads. They claimed the ads were “primarily editorial”, basing its argument around the tone, format, and context of their posts.

As opposed to coaxing consumers to place bets, Oddschecker purported the posts were purely commentary, centred around footballers and relevant events. It was for this reason that Oddschecker felt there was no need to include an age disclaimer and social responsibility message that would normally be tagged onto direct gambling campaigns.

While Oddschecker admitted there was a greater risk of placing ads featuring high-profile footballers, the ASA took a dim view of the matter. Oddschecker has now been warned the posts must not appear again in the form previously used, and they have been reminded not to include footballers in ads who were likely to influence those under 18.

Betway spared from further action

In a separate incident, Betway was spared from further action after publishing an Instagram post featuring Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

The text read:

“For the first time in a long time, I can see this team winning the league — not just as an Arsenal fan, but as a football fan and an analyst.”

The image included the Betway logo and gambling responsible messaging, but the ASA assessed other viral clips from Henry appearing as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football (MNF) shows to reach its ruling.

After analysing Henry’s social media profile, the post wasn’t classified as something that would resonate with Under-18s, and the ad didn’t breach ASA regulations.

Ultimately, Betway will be relieved, given they have come under scrutiny from the ASA in the past over its conduct. Last year, the bookie pulled a paid-for Facebook ad featuring F1 driver Sir Lewis Hamilton for infringing rules, as he is viewed as a role model to young people.

Meanwhile, a pre-roll placement on YouTube showing football fans wearing Chelsea scarves was also viewed as inappropriate.