Stars including Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar will be hit in the pocket under new rules banning gambling companies from using footballers in adverts in the UK.
In a bid to protect children and other vulnerable groups, the Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP) have outlawed sportspeople ‘well-known to under 18s’ from promoting betting brands on television or social media from October 1 — in time for the World Cup.
Manchester United striker Ronaldo and Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar have been ambassadors for PokerStars.
Managers and pundits are also included in the ban, meaning an end to advertising deals.
Outside of sport, reality TV stars and social media influencers will also be prevented from working with gambling firms.
‘By ending these practices, our new rules invite a new era for gambling ads, more particular to the adult audience they can target and more befitting of the age-restricted product they’re promoting,’ said Shahriar Coupal, director of CAP.
The ban does not affect betting sponsorship on football shirts, but that is currently being looked at by the Government in their review of the Gambling Act.
