TLDR
- ASA cleared White Hat Gaming’s ads on HLTV, ruling they were not aimed at under-18s
- Midnite was warned after a TikTok ad featured a character who appeared to be under 25
- The Midnite ad was created by affiliate Limay Media without company approval
- ASA said the AI-generated character in the ad looked underage
- This is Midnite’s second negative ASA ruling in two months
The Advertising Standards Authority issued two rulings on gambling ads this week. The outcomes for the two operators were very different.
White Hat Gaming, which runs Casimba and The Grand Ivy Casino, was cleared of wrongdoing. Its ads had appeared on HLTV, a Counter-Strike 2 esports website.
Midnite received a warning instead. One of its TikTok ads featured a character who appeared to be under 25 years old.
That breaks strict UK rules on gambling advertising. The rules exist to protect younger viewers from gambling promotions.
White Hat Gaming Ads Ruled Compliant
The complaint against White Hat Gaming involved two display ads and a linked logo. They appeared during a live Counter-Strike 2 match on HLTV.
The ads promoted a welcome bonus offer. The text read “100% MATCH BONUS UP TO £100 ON 1ST DEPOSIT.”
Critics said the placement could reach viewers under 18. White Hat Gaming disagreed, saying HLTV serves an adult audience that follows professional esports.
HLTV said its content is analytical and data-driven. The site described its audience as mature esports fans rather than casual gamers.
The ASA reviewed audience data before making a decision. It found the live match coverage was framed around competition and statistics.
Social media data showed only a small share of under-18 users on HLTV. There was no evidence that minors made up more than 25 percent of the site’s audience.
Based on this, the ASA ruled the ads did not breach the CAP Code. The ads were found not to be directed at under-18s.
Midnite Ad Breaches Age Rules
Midnite’s case involved a TikTok ad showing a man using a gambling app. The ad promoted free bets tied to the World Cup.
The ASA said the person in the ad appeared to be under 25. Gambling ads are barred from featuring anyone who looks that young.
Midnite said the ad was made by an affiliate called Limay Media. The company said it never approved the ad before it went live.
Limay Media admitted the ad skipped its normal review process. It said the ad stayed online only briefly before being removed.
The ASA still upheld the complaint despite these explanations. It said the character’s youthful look and expressions gave the impression of someone in their late teens or early twenties.
The character in the ad was AI-generated rather than a real person. The ASA said this did not change its decision.
The regulator ordered that the ad must not run again. It also told Midnite and Limay Media to avoid using anyone who appears under 25 in future ads.
This is the second negative ruling against Midnite in two months. In August, the ASA banned a separate Midnite campaign that linked gambling apps to escaping daily frustrations.
