This month, the Advertising Standards Authority has been publishing its latest rulings regarding customer complaints. While the companies and organisations that have been investigated represent a range of niches as diverse as life insurance and e-cigarettes, two are linked to well-known British gambling brands, Paddy Power and Sky Bet.
Why were complaints made?
The ASA published its ruling on the Paddy Power complaints on 8th February 2023 after determining that the complaints it received should not be upheld.
There were two complainants in the case who took issue with two separate TV ads for Paddy Power that were shown last November.
The first ad offered viewers a “completely free bet builder on all England games” and feature the ex-England football player, Peter Crouch. The second advert also starred Peter Crouch and used a Christmas theme. Both ads used the slogan “Where were you in ’22?” as a push to get viewers to get behind the England World Cup team while also celebrating Christmas.
The complainants’ issue with the adverts regarded Peter Crouch’s appearance, which they felt made the ads strongly appealing to minors and, therefore, breached the advertising standards code.
Not down with the youth!
Paddy Power challenged the complaints by pointing out that Peter Crouch’s last appearance as a footballer for the England national team was in 2010, meaning that his popularity among under-18s had waned. As a 40-year-old, the sports betting brand believed that older viewers were more likely to relate with Peter than youngsters.
The ASA agreed with Paddy Power’s arguments and felt that the complaints should not be upheld.
The ASA’s ruling on a promoted tweet for Sky Bet was also published on 8th February. This time, the image featured the former English footballer Micah Richards and an offer for “£20 in free bets when you place a £5 bet”.
Again, the ad garnered two separate complaints that related to a high-profile footballer’s appearance making the ad more appealing to under-18s.
Sky Bet responded to the ASA by saying that Micah Richards left the Premier League in 2015 and that he has spent most of his time since at overseas clubs. It added that the star is now commonly recognised as a football pundit rather than a former England player and that the tweet had been specially targeted at adults and not children.
The ASA concluded that the ad was not overly appealing to young people or children and, therefore, did not uphold the complaints.
Advertiser Disclosure: When you use WhichBingo, there are never any hidden fees or costs. To help fund our work we may earn a referral commission if you create an account via our site. This commission never impacts the impartiality of our reviews and ratings.
18+. New players only. Deposit £10 to get £60 bonus. Deposit and spend £10 on bingo tickets within 30 days of joining Paddy Power Bingo using a valid debit card or Apple Pay. 1/customer. Get £60 paid as Bingo Bonus (1x wagering requirement) when you register via the code PINTV6. Full T&Cs apply.
No stranger to being in front of the camera himself, Charlie Shakespeare jumped at the chance to check out BingoPlus, the UK’s most popular live-streamed bingo product filmed and streamed from snazzy studios in Hull. What is BingoPlus? BingoPlus is an entertainment-first, live operation airing bingo and games from 10am to midnight, seven days a week. You can choose from over 800 slots to play from, too. The live chat…
Is there anything better than a night in? The kind of night where everything (and everyone!) has been accounted for, all variables considered, and you’ve given yourself the best possible chance of an uninterrupted evening doing exactly what you want to do. If that evening involves tombola, this checklist is for you. How to Prepare for a Perfect Night In with tombola The Potential Interruptions Brief your partner on noise…
We did it again! WhichBingo has been named Best Bingo Affiliate for a second year in a row! WhichBingo was officially recognised as the best bingo comparison site in the UK at the iGB Awards 2026 on 2nd July. It’s the second year running that WhichBingo has topped the category and sixth iGB award we’ve won. We’re extremely honoured to be recognised for all the hard work we put into giving UK players…
A Leicester bingo player won a massive £250,000 jackpot and says they’ll be sharing every penny with their friend. The lucky winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, landed the quarter-of-a-million-pound prize whilst playing on the National Bingo Game at Mecca Bingo Leicester last month. A regular at the club, he was introduced to bingo by his friend many years ago, and the pair have been attending sessions together at Mecca’s…
If you’ve signed up to a UK slot site recently (or are planning to), you’ve probably noticed a few similar games being mentioned. So, we did the numbers and found the top 5 slot games in UK casino bonuses so far in 2026. If you sign up for free spins, there is a good chance you’ll be playing one of these games, so here’s a bit of a preview of…
We did it again! WhichBingo has been named Best Bingo Affiliate for a second year in a row! WhichBingo was officially recognised as the best bingo comparison site in the UK at the iGB Awards 2026 on 2nd July. It’s the second year running that WhichBingo has topped the category and sixth iGB award we’ve won. We’re extremely honoured to be recognised for all the hard work we put into giving UK players…
The rules of the game are evolving, and the UK’s biggest bingo and casino brands are responding by putting players first. We spoke to the WhichBingo Awards winners to get their thoughts on success, what makes them stand out, and what UK players can expect next. Foxy, Coral, Ladbrokes: Giving Back to the Player Entain, the company who run Ladbrokes, Coral – and Best Promotions winner Foxy Games emphasised their commitment to…
Viva Las Vegas… in the North East! WhichBingo visits Bally’s Corporation’s first UK flagship casino in our new two-part documentary. Bally’s Casino Newcastle is part of the same brand that runs casino resorts across the United States, landing at The Gate in Newcastle city centre back in April 2025. As one of the most complete entertainment venues in the region, we thought Bally’s would be the perfect addition to our latest…
If you’ve signed up to a UK slot site recently (or are planning to), you’ve probably noticed a few similar games being mentioned. So, we did the numbers and found the top 5 slot games in UK casino bonuses so far in 2026. If you sign up for free spins, there is a good chance you’ll be playing one of these games, so here’s a bit of a preview of…
The rules of the game are evolving, and the UK’s biggest bingo and casino brands are responding by putting players first. We spoke to the WhichBingo Awards winners to get their thoughts on success, what makes them stand out, and what UK players can expect next. Foxy, Coral, Ladbrokes: Giving Back to the Player Entain, the company who run Ladbrokes, Coral – and Best Promotions winner Foxy Games emphasised their commitment to…
Nearly half a million votes were cast by real players in WhichBingo Awards 2026 – and with so many votes cast its crazy how close it was. One category was decided by just 18 votes. We’ve gone behind the numbers to reveal the other interesting statistics and stories that went into voting. The Race Decided By Just 18 Votes Thousands of votes were cast but Best Promotions was decided by…
After a record-breaking 500,000 votes from across the UK (nearly double last year’s total) the WhichBingo Awards 2026 winners have been crowned. Players decided 12 Main category winners. Four Editors’ Choice winners were selected by the WhichBingo editorial team through hands-on testing, WhichScore data, and years of tracking how brands actually perform. The winners were revealed on the night at the Sunborn Yacht Hotel, Gibraltar. And for the first time…
Brits are turning to VPNs in huge numbers to access illegal gambling sites, racking up an estimated 150-200 million minutes on dodgy casinos in January 2026 alone. And seriously risking their money in the process. VPN usage in the UK has surged since the Online Safety Act came into force in July 2025, and Gambling Commission research recorded around 20 million visits to illegal gambling sites that month. Often marketed…
You, the public have spoken. Over 480,000 votes cast across the main categories… and now it’s our turn. While the player vote decides the 12 winners in the Main categories, like Best Bingo Site and Best Slot Game, plus the 5 Pre-Show categories like Best Bingo Caller, there are a handful of categories at the WhichBingo Awards 2026 that an expert judging panel decides. These are the 4 Editors’ Choice…
Have you noticed UK casino bonuses looking a bit different in 2026? A major tax just came into effect that we expect will impact the bonuses you get at UK casino sites. But there is some good news for bingo players. We unpack what this all means for UK casino and bingo players. So What’s Actually Changed? The government has significantly increased the Remote Gaming Duty with the aim of…
Your chances of walking away with real cash from a casino bonus are set to improve significantly. New UK regulations are putting an end to unfairly high wagering requirements. From 19th January all casino sites must adhere to a 10x maximum wagering cap on bonus offers, following a landmark ruling by the Gambling Commission. Editor’s Note: Though your ability to convert bonus into real cash is improving, gambling is still…
No stranger to being in front of the camera himself, Charlie Shakespeare jumped at the chance to check out BingoPlus, the UK’s most popular live-streamed bingo product filmed and streamed from snazzy studios in Hull. What is BingoPlus? BingoPlus is an entertainment-first, live operation airing bingo and games from 10am to midnight, seven days a week. You can choose from over 800 slots to play from, too. The live chat…
Tom Clare shot to fame on Love Island All Stars where he found Molly Smith. The couple are now engaged, house-hunting and planning for their wedding while Tom is planning a return to non-league football, and he spoke exclusively to WhichBingo about discipline, mental health, routine and why he’s doing two of the most stressful things in life at exactly the same time. “Football Keeps Me Sane” Tom is unequivocal…
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just around the corner, we sat down with Shaun Wallace, The Dark Destroyer from ITV’s The Chase. A huge football fan, Shaun gave us his predictions on the overall winner, England’s chances and how Scotland will fare. France Are the Team to Beat & Mbappé Could Make History If you ask Shaun who he thinks will lift the trophy, his answer is immediate. “I…
George Sampson won Britain’s Got Talent at 14 and became a household name overnight. But 18 years on, it’s not the rain dance on a Warrington street that defines him, it’s a troubled school kid from a BBC drama, a two-year theatre adventure that nearly didn’t happen, and a pivot into acting that began with a broken-down car in Doncaster. We caught up with George to talk about all of…
by
Shaun Frackleton
9min
Updated October 16, 2024
Anita Heffernan
Author & Former Editor
The Bingo Queen is a fun name earned from colleagues through Anita Heffernan's exceptional knowledge and commitment to the online bingo world. With over 20 years of experience as both a player and an expert in the industry, Anita has built a reputation as a trusted authority on all things bingo.
2min 
Reader comments