A UK betting affiliate site has been reprimanded after the advertising regulator was informed about a customer’s search for “self exclusion bookies”.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) had received a complaint showing a paid-for search ad on the bestbookiesandbettingsites.co.uk website, the trading name of Optival, promoting non-self-excluded firms.
Text on the advert read “Top 15 Betting Sites UK – Compare the Best UK Bookmakers” and invited users to claim an “Exclusive First Bet Bonus” and promoted “Best Welcome Bonus Offers by UK’s Top Online Sports Betting Brands for 2025!’.
The incident occurs amidst widespread concerns about offshore, unlicensed bookmakers and casinos targeting vulnerable UK customers. These concerns are shared across the regulated gambling space, the gambling harm treatment sector, and the Gambling Commission.
Online casinos promoting themselves as being “non-Gamstop” – meaning that people signed up to the Gamstop online gambling self-exclusion service can use these unlicensed sites – have become a particular cause for concern.
In Optival’s case, the ASA has told the firm that the ad in question must not be served following searches like “self exclusion bookies”. It has also told the company to ensure that search ads are responsibly targeted.
The regulator concluded that the search phrase “self exclusion bookies” likely indicated that a consumer was searching for information and advice in how to avoid gambling services, and so an advert for best online bookmakers was not appropriate.
“Such consumers were likely to include vulnerable persons looking to manage or reduce their exposure to and engagement with gambling ads,” the regulator’s statement read.
“In that context, we considered an ad promoting online betting sites and offering “the Best Welcome Bonus Offers” was not appropriate to appear in response to that search.”
What the regulator did not consider was the scenario mentioned above – that of an already self-excluded customer potentially searching for bookmakers which would allow them to gamble despite their self-exclusion.
Optival has informed the ASA that it is strengthening safeguards by expanding negative keyword exclusions. The firm intends to prevent searches related to self-exclusion and similar terms from appearing in future and current campaigns.