The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against LiveScore Betting & Gaming (Gibraltar) after two in-app ads for LiveScore Bet were displayed in the under-18 version of the LiveScore app. The ads, viewed on January 10, 2025, on both Android and iOS devices, featured live betting odds linked to the LiveScore Bet app. The issue centers around LiveScore Bet’s age-gating mechanism, which the ASA found failed to prevent gambling promotions from being shown to users under the age of 18.

Gambling ads appear in the under-18 version of LiveScore app:

One of the ads, seen on an Android device, featured live football scores along with a logo for LiveScore Bet. When users toggled on an option, three betting odds for each game were displayed, each linking to the LiveScore Bet app. The second ad, seen on an iOS device, appeared under a page showing football team lineups and included a banner reading “Match odds” along with betting options. Both ads included messages stating “18+ Bet responsibly” and links to BeGambleAware.org.

While LiveScore Bet contended that these ads were shown in error, the ASA confirmed that it had observed both ads within the under-18 version of the app. The company explained that a malfunction in the age-gating system, particularly in an older version of the app for iOS, led to this issue. However, as stated in the ASA’s press release, the regulator ruled that the ads were not appropriately targeted, as they appeared in an environment meant to be free of gambling content for users under 18.

LiveScore Bet expressed disappointment over the ruling, attributing the error to a malfunction in its age-gating safeguards. The company clarified that the app employs an age-gating tool that prompts users to self-declare their age when first using the app. LiveScore Bet stated that it selects LiveScore as an advertising partner because the app’s audience is predominantly adults, and that the age-gating mechanism was designed to block adult content from under-18 users.

The company also emphasized that it had tested the under-18 version of the app on Android devices and could not replicate the issue where the ads appeared. However, it acknowledged the problem in the older iOS version of the app, noting that the issue had been confined to a small number of users and was resolved in newer versions of the app. Despite this, the ASA maintained that the ads breached the CAP Code, which prohibits gambling content from being targeted at under-18s.

ASA’s ruling and LiveScore Bet’s commitment to responsible advertising:

The ASA concluded that both ads breached several provisions of the CAP Code, particularly rules 1.3 (social responsibility), 16.1, and 16.3.13 (gambling), which are designed to ensure that marketing communications for gambling products are not directed at minors. The ruling highlighted that the LiveScore app’s under-18 version should not have contained any gambling ads, regardless of the malfunction that caused the issue.

In response to the ASA’s findings, LiveScore Bet reiterated that it had implemented an industry-leading safeguard in the form of its age-gating system, which goes beyond regulatory requirements. The company emphasized that without the age-gating mechanism, the complaint would not have been upheld. LiveScore Bet also stated that it had received no other complaints regarding similar issues.

As a result of the ASA’s ruling, LiveScore Bet has been instructed to ensure that its ads do not appear in the under-18 version of the LiveScore app again. The company has committed to reviewing its systems to prevent any future occurrences of gambling ads being shown to underage users.

This ruling follows an earlier case in April 2025, where the ASA cleared a separate gambling ad involving former cricketer Stuart Broad and Fitzdares, stating that the promotion did not appeal to under-18 audiences. The contrast in these cases highlights the ongoing scrutiny of gambling advertising practices, especially regarding their targeting of younger audiences.