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The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has delivered two separate Wednesday rulings on gambling ads, with very different outcomes.
White Hat Gaming, which operates Casimba and The Grand Ivy Casino, was cleared of wrongdoing after its ads appeared on HLTV, a Counter‑Strike 2 eSports site. Regulators concluded that the ads were not directed at under‑18s, despite concerns that the live match coverage could appeal to younger viewers.
On the same day, Midnite was warned after one of its TikTok ads featured a character who appeared to be under 25 years old, breaching strict rules on gambling advertising.
White Hat Gaming ads found compliant
The case against White Hat Gaming focused on two display ads and a linked logo that appeared during a live Counter‑Strike 2 match on HLTV.
The ads promoted welcome bonuses such as “100% MATCH BONUS UP TO £100 ON 1ST DEPOSIT” and included age restriction logos. Critics argued that the placement risked reaching minors, but White Hat Gaming defended its targeting, saying HLTV was a specialist platform aimed at adults following professional eSports.
HLTV itself stressed that its content was analytical and data‑driven, designed for a mature audience.
The ASA reviewed the context and audience data. While acknowledging that live match coverage could attract younger viewers, it concluded the page was framed around professional competition and statistics, not casual play.
Social media data showed only a small percentage of under‑18s engaging with HLTV, and there was no evidence that minors made up more than 25% of the site’s audience. The ASA therefore ruled that the ads had not been directed at under‑18s and found no breach of the CAP Code.
Midnite ad breaches age rules
While WHG was cleared, Midnite faced a ruling against it after a TikTok ad showed a man using a gambling app and promoting free bets during the World Cup.
The ASA determined that the individual appeared to be under 25, which is prohibited under gambling advertising rules. Midnite explained that the ad had been created by an affiliate, Limay Media, without its approval, and that the character was AI‑generated rather than a real person.
Limay Media admitted the ad bypassed its usual review process and remained online only briefly before being pulled.
Despite those explanations, the ASA upheld the complaint. It noted that the AI‑generated character’s youthful appearance and animated expressions gave the impression of someone in their late teens or early twenties.
Although the video used was AI‑generated, we considered the overall impression created by the individual depicted was that he seemed to be under 25,” the ruling stated. The ASA ordered that the ad must not appear again and told Midnite and Limay Media to ensure future gambling ads do not feature anyone who is, or appears to be, under 25.
This is Midnite’s second negative ruling in the last two months. Earlier in August, its campaign, which showed characters facing everyday frustrations with faulty technology before turning to gambling apps, was banned by the regulator and ordered to be pulled out.
