The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against Smart Gravity over a paid search advertisement for top10onlinecasinoreviews.co.uk that appeared after a user searched “help with gambling”.
The ad, seen on 18 June, promoted a list of online casino sites using references to fast sign-ups and bonuses. The ASA concluded that someone using the search term was likely to be seeking information or support relating to gambling harm, meaning the placement risked reaching vulnerable consumers.
Smart Gravity operates top10onlinecasinoreviews.co.uk as an affiliate comparison site rather than a gambling operator. It told the regulator that the advertisement was served through Microsoft Advertising and that its campaigns targeted adults in the UK.
The affiliate said it maintained negative keyword exclusions intended to prevent ads appearing alongside searches connected with gambling addiction, safer gambling and gambling harm. It also used Exact Match, Phrase Match and Broad Match keyword settings.
However, the ASA found those safeguards insufficient. Broader keyword-matching options can allow ads to appear against searches related to targeted terms without reproducing the advertiser’s selected keywords exactly, creating a risk that casino advertising could be served to users displaying indicators of gambling-related harm.
The ruling comes within a regulatory framework that places specific emphasis on vulnerable consumers. CAP Code Section 16 requires gambling marketing to be socially responsible, with particular regard to protecting children, young people and other vulnerable people from harm or exploitation.
In Smart Gravity’s case, the ASA ruled specifically that the search ad breached CAP Code rule 1.3 on social responsibility. It ordered that the advertisement must not be served again following a search for “help with gambling” and told the affiliate to ensure future search advertising is responsibly targeted.
The decision also follows increased monitoring of gambling marketing in 2026. During a four-week enforcement operation around the FIFA World Cup, the ASA reviewed nearly 10,000 pieces of content and secured the removal of 36 ads from seven advertisers over breaches involving strong appeal to under-18s.
The ruling follows the ASA’s August decision against Midnite, when 125 complaints were upheld over television, VOD and radio advertising that the regulator found could present gambling as an escape from personal problems. The case formed part of broader scrutiny of gambling advertising across digital and broadcast media.
CAP guidance states that gambling advertisers should take reasonable steps to protect problem gamblers and people at risk of gambling harm from potentially harmful marketing
