The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has not upheld a complaint against Fitzdares over an ad featuring former England cricket star Stuart Broad.
The British regulator adjudicated on a complaint from the gambling-harm charity GambleAware due to concerns that Broad’s involvement with the independent bookmaker was likely to be of “strong appeal” to minors under the age of 18.
This would have meant a breach of the ASA’s strict code, but the case was overturned.
Back in August 2024, Broad posted on his X account to confirm his partnership with the London-based bespoke betting firm, with the brand name accompanying an image of him in action:
“Delighted to have teamed up with @Fitzdares. They’re an independent operator, build genuine personal relationships with their members & play the game the right way.”
“They’ve given me a £500 free bet pot every month to raise cash for Motor Neurone Disease. Let me know if you’ve got any tips for the upcoming PL season!?
Satisfied to a high degree
Broad is a highly decorated and well-recognized figure in cricket.
Most notably, he starred for Nottinghamshire in the domestic game before fulfilling his potential in England colors. He played Test cricket for his country as well as captaining England in the One Day and Twenty20 competitions.
Broad was also awarded an MBE in 2017 and a CBE in 2023, as part of the British honors system.
In its findings, the ASA detailed that, “CAP Guidance stated that prominent sportspeople involved in sports like cricket that, at the highest level, had a significant national profile, were of “high risk” of appealing to under-18s, but that sportspeople involved in cricket who didn’t have a significant role in the sport were of “low risk.”
Fitzdares asserted in response to the GambleAware complaint that it had undertaken its own due diligence, including a thorough risk assessment of Stuart Broad as an individual and a sports persona.
The bookmaker said it measured Broad against the ASA’s codes and guidance, and was satisfied to a high degree that their partner did not carry a strong appeal to the under-18 market.
Fitzdares also made the case that Broad’s other commercial agreements were typically with companies in mature markets, such as the automotive, insurance, and finance sectors.
The ASA was satisfied with its ruling that the ad did not constitute a breach of its guidelines.
The regulator concluded on the inclusion of Broad in Fitzdares’ advertising:
“During his prime, he was one of the most prominent and well-known sportspeople involved in cricket. However, since his retirement, his role in the sport had been limited to commentating and analysing matches. “
“We therefore considered that since his retirement, his role in the sport had been significantly reduced, and that he was less likely to be of appeal to under-18s than current England cricket star players.
“Lastly, we considered that there was nothing in the way Stuart Broad was presented in the ad that would have strongly attracted the attention of under-18s or was likely to render him of strong appeal. For those reasons, we concluded that the ad was not of strong appeal to people aged under 18.”
Source: ReadWrite / Digpu NewsTex