UK’s ASA Reprimands Betway Over “Irresponsible” F1 Ad

The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has reprimanded Betway over an ad featuring F1 drivers. The regulator has asked the operator to take the ad down due to its potential to appeal to underage viewers.

Complaint Says Betway’s F1 Ad Violated the CAP Code

The UK, like many regulated markets, has strict prohibitions on gaming ads that may leave a strong impression on kids. According to a complaint submitted to the ASA, a recent Betway ad fit this category.

The ad in question was seen on Facebook on July 4, 2025, and featured a trio of F1 drivers standing in the grandstand watching a race with two British flags waving next to them. The middle driver had a uniform with the name HAMILTON, while the ad’s heading asked “Who’s the best of the Brits?” Betway’s logo was featured prominently.

The ad’s caption noted that several racers were competing for the top spot at Silverstone and asked fans whether they think Hamilton will continue to dominate his home track.

As mentioned, the complaint stated that the ad violated the UK’s gaming advertising rules since it featured Lewis Hamilton, who is very likely to have a strong appeal to under-18s.

Betway Disputed Some of the Claims

Betway responded to the allegations, saying that F1, as an adult-oriented sport, was categorized as having “moderate risk” of having a strong appeal on minors. Betway also noted that the “Hamilton” featured in the ad was not the real one (thus why he was only featured in a back-of-head shot) and pointed out that the actual Hamilton’s involvement in the ad was minimal.

Betway also questioned the extent of the racing driver’s relevance among younger viewers. According to Betway, minors are only a small portion of Hamilton’s social media following.

Betway concluded that the ad ran for a very limited time and targeted only users over the age of 25.

ASA Upheld the Complaint

Despite Betway’s points, the ASA opted to uphold the complaint, citing data that shows that many children lie about their age on social media. With this and other facts in mind, the authority said there must have been “at least a significant number of children who had not used their real date of birth when signing up to Facebook and were able to see and access content intended for those aged 18 or older, meaning they could view content from verified gambling accounts.”

The ASA also noted that Hamilton, as an F1 Hall of Famer, is an extremely recognizable personality and may have a strong impression even on younger players.  

As a result, the ASA concluded that the ad was “irresponsible” and in breach of the CAP Code. It noted that the ad must not appear again in its current form and warned Betway against featuring other celebrities who might have a strong appeal to those under 18 years of age in its ads.

In other news, Betway was recently backed by a Maltese court in a winnings dispute.