ASA bans Ladbrokes' ‘Ladbucks’ ads over alleged youth appeal

The UK’s advertising regulator has ordered Ladbrokes to remove a series of promotional ads that featured its in-game reward tokens, “Ladbucks,” determining that the term and visuals were likely to attract individuals under 18 — a breach of gambling advertising codes.

The ads, aired on Channel 4 and its video-on-demand platform in December 2024, promoted Ladbrokes’ Ladbucks scheme, which offers users free-to-play games that award tokens redeemable for spins, bets, or other site-exclusive rewards. A voiceover described Ladbucks as “the new way to get rewarded,” referring to the distribution of “100 million Ladbucks… dropping weekly.”

Two complaints submitted to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) argued that the term “Ladbucks” closely resembled digital currencies used in games popular among children, such as Robux in Roblox and V-Bucks in Fortnite. The complainants also raised concerns about the design and platform exclusivity of the tokens, suggesting parallels with game mechanics familiar to younger audiences.

Ladbrokes rejected the claims, stating the name was derived from its brand and the term “bucks” was intended to indicate token utility within its site—not to reference any gaming platform. The company maintained that Ladbucks had no cash value, could not be purchased, and expired if not used. It also noted that the token's depiction resembled poker chips rather than video game currency.

In its submission to the ASA, Ladbrokes added that both ads had been cleared by Clearcast and were subject to scheduling restrictions to minimize exposure to underage viewers. Channel 4 also confirmed the ads were reviewed and broadcast in accordance with existing guidelines.

The ASA, however, disagreed. In its ruling, the agency pointed to the design of the Ladbucks token—round, shiny, and marked with a central letter—as similar to in-game currencies used in children’s titles. It also referenced data from Ofcom indicating high engagement in online gaming among children, with 89% of 11- to 18-year-olds gaming weekly.

The regulator noted that in-game currencies such as V-Bucks and Robux often share visual and functional traits with Ladbucks, including platform exclusivity and use in reward-based game elements.

The ASA concluded that the Ladbucks campaign, taken as a whole, carried features likely to appeal strongly to minors. It also said the combination of the words “lad” and “bucks” may carry unintended connotations for younger viewers, even though the term was not meant to reference youth culture directly.

In response to the decision, a spokesperson for Entain, Ladbrokes’ parent company, said: “We are disappointed by the ASA’s ruling on our ‘Ladbucks’ advertising campaign, and we are seeking an independent review of what we consider to be a flawed decision. For example, it is based on an inaccurate comparison with games such as Fortnite or Roblox and their in-game currencies.

"Entain works extremely carefully to ensure that its advertising does not target or appeal to under-18s. We maintain that this was a responsibly created and targeted campaign, pre-approved by Clearcast and only shown after the watershed.”

The ASA has instructed Ladbrokes not to use the term “Ladbucks” or similar content in future advertising that could be viewed as appealing to those under 18. The ads must not be broadcast again in their current form.