ASA upholds complaint against affiliate for 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, for irresponsibly targeting a paid search advertisement at users seeking self-exclusion information, the regulator said.

Ad appeared in response to self-exclusion query

The ruling centres on an ad displayed on 10 August 2026 that appeared in response to the user query ‘self-exclusion bookies’, according to the ASA. 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.

Company says targeting was not deliberate

Optival Ltd responded that the exact phrase ‘self-exclusion bookies’ was not deliberately targeted and attributed the incident to automated ad platform query-matching that fell below reporting thresholds, the ASA said.

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

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

ASA orders improved safeguards

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

By the end of 2025, a total of 562,000 players had registered with the self-exclusion service in the UK.