Ladbrokes, the betting operator owned by Entain, had two adverts featuring Premier League managers banned for “strongly” appealing to under-18s by the UK advertising regulator.
The first promoted tweet from the bookmaker in January and February featured two images of manager Eddie Howe accompanied by the text “19th in 2022 v 3rd in 2023. Eddie Howe’s one-year masterclass.”
A second tweet carried the headline “Ladbrokes next manager to leave odds” ahead of the names and images of David Moyes, Frank Lampard, Brendan Rodgers and Gary O’Neil.
Ladbrokes argued that the first tweet featuring Newcastle manager Howe did not direct consumers to its website, nor could the tweets be viewed by users unless Twitter verified they were over 18.
Howe is also argued to not appeal strongly to under-18s, given he spent the bulk of his career outside the Premier League.
The betting operator did acknowledge that the second tweet was commercial as it contained market prices, and it “inadvertently” included images of the managers, which goes against guidance and standard procedure.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) however claimed that all five managers were Premier League managers well known to those who follow football, including children.
“We considered, based on those factors, that all five managers were likely to be of strong appeal to under-18s,” ASA said in the Evening Standard.