The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled against yet another bookmaker social media advert, with the complaint lodged by an educational institution many gaming stakeholders will be becoming familiar with.

A researcher from the University of Bristol filed a complaint against a social media post from online bookmaker challenger brand Midnite, questioning whether the advert breached the CAP Code by having a strong appeal to under-18s.

The ad in question was posted to Midnite’s X page on 23 May 2025 and featured a video of then-Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-Min lifting the UEFA Europa League trophy, which the team had just won against Manchester United two days prior.

A caption on the post read: “How bro starts acting after winning £8.10 from a 30p 8 fold acca bet”. The Bristol University researcher argued that Heung-Min, as a well-known footballer playing for a popular team, would have a large under-18 following.

The ASA agreed with this assessment, with the Heung-Min considered ‘high risk’ under its categorisation. The CAP Code prohibits operators from using personalities deemed to have a strong appeal to young people, with active footballers commonly included within this.

In response, Midnite acknowledged the footballer’s high risk status and removed the post upon being contacted by the ASA but stated that the post was meant to be editorial in nature and not an advert intended to sell its product. The ASA, however, judged it an advert in breach of the CAP Code and has told Midnite not to use the post again.

The nature of the complaint and the ASA’s decision is nothing new. The authority has ruled against countless operator social media posts and adverts this year, with a post’s appeal to young people often central – and the inclusion of celebrities like footballers being central to this in turn.

What is noticeable about this week’s ruling against Midnite is the fact the complaint came from a University of Bristol researcher. Researchers from the same institution also complained about the same company back in June 2024, leading to the ASA ordering the removal of social media posts featuring Jack Grelish, Harry Maguire and Harry Kane.

The university also lodged a complaint against an X post from Kwiff, another online bookmaker in July 2024, featuring Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton ahead of the British Grand Prix. This also saw the ASA side with the complainant.

The institution is becoming an increasingly vocal voice on gambling advertising in general, having published a research paper examining the impact of industry marketing earlier this year.