ASA upholds complaint over betting affiliate ad targeting self-exclusion search

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against Optival Ltd, which trades as bestbookiesandbettingsites.co.uk, following concerns that one of its paid search advertisements was irresponsibly targeted at users seeking self-exclusion information related to gambling.

Wednesday’s ruling centres on an ad displayed on 10 August 2026, which appeared in response to the user query “self-exclusion bookies”. 

This search phrase, the ASA notes, indicated the consumer was likely looking to limit or cease gambling activity, suggesting vulnerability due to problem gambling.

Providing promotional content to those after self-exclusion

The advertisement promoted “Top 15 Betting Sites UK”, highlighting “Exclusive First Bet Bonus” offers and “Best Welcome Bonus Offers by UK’s Top Online Sports Betting Brands for 2025”. 

Optival Ltd operates as an affiliate comparison site that directs users to bookmakers rather than directly accepting bets. Nonetheless, the ASA found that the ad effectively promoted online betting services.

In its investigation, the ASA emphasised the necessity for advertisers of gambling-related products to take special care to avoid exposing vulnerable individuals to promotional content. It determined that showing such promotional ads to users seeking self-exclusion information posed a significant risk.

It was not ‘deliberately targeted’

Optival Ltd responded by explaining that the exact phrase “self-exclusion bookies” was not deliberately targeted. 

It submitted Google Ads search term reports that showed no direct matches and stated that it maintained negative keyword lists – essentially a way to block ads from showing for certain searches – to exclude searches involving self-exclusion, GamStop and other problem gambling terms. 

The company attributed the incident to automated ad platform query-matching, a process that uses advanced machine learning to understand a user’s intentions, that fell below reporting thresholds, describing it as an isolated case. Optival also committed to broadening its exclusion criteria to prevent similar issues.

Despite these assurances, the ASA ruled that the advertiser’s controls at the time were not sufficiently robust. They also ruled that there was a “strong likelihood” vulnerable consumers had been inadvertently targeted with the promotional content. 

This was judged to have breached the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code) Edition 12, rule 1.3, which covers social responsibility in advertising.

Regulatory action and remedial measures

The ASA ordered Optival Ltd to ensure the offending advertisement is never again shown in response to the search term “self-exclusion bookies” or similar queries. 

The regulator also mandated that Optival demonstrate improved targeting safeguards for its gambling-related search advertising.

An uptick in those after self-exclusion

Self-exclusion, the ability for an individual to block themselves from gambling services, has been on the up in the UK. 

By the end of 2025, a total of 562,000 players had registered with the service. Those who sign up are presented with several options as to how long they want to self-exclude.

For licensed operators themselves within the UK, it is mandatory to have a self-exclusion arrangement in place. Holland Park Leisure Limited, the operator of three adult gaming centres was fined £150,000 ($202,888) by the Gambling Commission in August for failing to join the mandatory multi-operator self-exclusion scheme.