Regulatory Guidelines Influencers Must Follow When Endorsing Online Sportsbooks

In today’s society, influencers are the cornerstone of businesses gaining traction. More and more businesses are using partnerships and ads with influencers to promote their businesses, including online sportsbooks. However, just like in any sector, there are rules and regulations that must be complied with.

What is ASA?

ASA stands for Advertising Standards Authority; they are the UK’s independent advertising regulator, and they provide strict guidelines that ensure ads across UK media comply with the rules. They ensure that ads are truthful, legal, and decent. Just like within any other sector, influencers endorsing online sportsbooks must follow the guidelines set out by ASA. A quick Google of any of the big bookmakers on BetSelect will show that many have been hit with enforcement actions by the ASA, so they definitely take it seriously.

Key rules influencers must follow:

• You must disclose if you are being subsidised for the post (freebies and gifts are included in this, as well as money). You can do this by writing #ad or Paid Partnership in the title.
• Be clear and honest with the information you’re providing. Don’t make misleading, false, or exaggerated claims.
• Since it’s sports-related content, a large volume of the audience will be young and/or vulnerable people. You need to ensure you’re responsible with your influencing, aim to inform, not to convince or persuade.

Why are these rules important?

Following the guidelines in the world of sports promotion is exceptionally important, as they often concern young and vulnerable individuals. Due to this, regulators will often pay extra attention to anything related to sports promotion, so it’s paramount that influencers follow the guidelines.

Although breaching the guidelines set out by ASA is not inherently illegal, not following the underlying consumer protection laws is, so if influencers don’t follow the ASA guidelines, they leave themselves open to a multitude of consequences, such as bans, fines, and even criminal proceedings in some cases.

Legal repercussions aside, there are consequences influencers can face regarding their brand and reputation, too. For example, if an influencer isn’t clear in disclosing the fact that they are doing an ad or that they are being paid in whatever form to advertise, viewers may lose trust in the influencer and stop following them. It’s not worth risking a long-term, loyal audience for a sneaky ad.

Tips and Tricks for Influencers

Be sure to make your disclosures clear. Some influencers let their disclosures get buried in text, or they purposefully try to hide them at the end of a caption or video. By ensuring your disclosure is early and obvious, you can avoid any complaints. ASA even has a handy cheat sheet you can find here, just to make sure you’re complying with all of the rules.

Stick to the facts. If you don’t know something for certain, don’t include it, and don’t make unsupported statements. Followers much prefer it when ads are honest, and creators are reliable, and to maintain an audience, you need to build and keep their trust. If you make false claims, and your audience is dissatisfied with the product or results, then you risk irreparable damage to your reputation.

As you’re promoting services related to sports promotion, be sure to keep the content informative and to err on the side of caution with anything that may be perceived as risky or excessively persuasive. Sports promotion content tends to attract a younger audience, and with that can come vulnerable people, so it’s important to inform without coming across as pushy.

If you would like a further deep dive into the guidelines for influencers when advertising, you can refer to ASA’s official website.

In 2025, there is no doubt that influencers will only continue to take over, and that includes in the sporting world. Therefore, it is essential that the influencers are aware of the guidelines they must follow and that they adhere to them. Following the guidelines isn’t only important because of the legal ramifications they may face, but also because, in order to be a successful influencer, it’s crucial to create trust with your audience.