ASA exonerates Ladbrokes regarding ‘Ladbucks’ advertising complaints

(AsiaGameHub) –   The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has reversed a previous ruling and cleared LC International Ltd, trading as Ladbrokes, in connection with two advertisements promoting its Ladbucks rewards scheme.

Two members of the public filed complaints in June 2025, raising worries that the name “Ladbucks” alongside the coin-style tokens featured in the ads had a strong appeal to people under the age of 18.

They claimed the visuals bore similarities to popular in-game currencies such as Fortnite’s V-Bucks and Roblox’s Robux, both widely recognized by children and teenagers. The complaints were assessed against broadcast and non-broadcast gambling advertising standards, specifically the BCAP (Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice) and CAP (Committee of Advertising Practice) Codes.

The updated ruling, published today, replaces an initial determination issued in June 2025. It concluded that the complaints against both a television commercial aired on 17 December 2024 and a video-on-demand (VOD) advert shown on Channel 4 on Demand on 23 December 2024 are “not upheld”.

Ladbrokes’ response

Ladbrokes defended its campaign by confirming that the “Ladbucks” token represented an adult-only loyalty reward with no actual monetary value. The tokens were exclusively available to logged-in, age-verified customers aged 18 and above, and expired monthly if unused.

The company stated that the name was a nod to the brand and the informal use of “bucks” to denote value, rather than an attempt to copy youth-focused gaming currencies.

In terms of advertising controls, Ladbrokes highlighted that the television spot was broadcast post-watershed to reduce youth exposure. They also argued that the VOD advert was placed on a platform with parental controls.

ASA’s reassessment

The ASA, while acknowledging Ladbrokes’ protective measures, noted that watershed timings and platform controls cannot entirely exclude younger audiences. Therefore, adverts must still satisfy the “strong appeal” test, which considers whether creative elements could inappropriately attract under-18s.

In its detailed review, the ASA examined whether the core creative elements — the Ladbucks token and the name — would prompt “an obvious comparison” with established youth gaming currencies.

Although some generic similarities existed, such as the tokens being round, shiny, and featuring initials at their center, the ASA determined that these resemblances were insufficient to conclude the advertisements held strong appeal for minors.

Key factors influencing the decision included notable differences in the visual styling of Ladbucks. These tokens were translucent dark red and set against a simple red-and-white color scheme, and also used straightforward typography, distinct from the bright, character-led, fantasy or cartoon styles commonly associated with children’s games.

‘Similarities were not obvious enough to make the ads likely to be of strong appeal to under-18s’

Based on these findings, the ASA ruled that the television advertisement did not breach BCAP Code rule 17.4.5. The VOD advert was also found to be compliant with CAP Code rules 16.1 and 16.3.12.

“We considered that although the name Ladbucks alongside the token’s imagery created some parallels with in-game currencies popular with under-18s, those similarities were not obvious enough to make the ads likely to be of strong appeal to under-18s,” the authority said in its updated ruling.

“Those similar features were generic and did not invite an obvious comparison with the tokens used in Fortnite and Roblox. Therefore, we concluded the ads were not likely to be of strong appeal to under-18s.”

The watchdog concluded no further action was necessary.

This comes as Entain is set to close over a third of its Ladbrokes shops in Ireland.