ASA Clears White Hat Casino Ads on HLTV Despite Missing Site Age Data
The case covered ads for White Hat Gaming brands Casimba and The Grand Ivy Casino. They appeared on an HLTV match page alongside CS2 statistics, betting odds and gambling operator links.
The ruling was published on September 16.
HLTV Had No Website Age Breakdown
The complaint focused on whether the ads had been placed where a large under-18 audience could see them. The relevant CAP Code limit is 25%.
White Hat provided age data for players referred from HLTV to its casino sites. Most were over 25.
The ASA gave that evidence limited weight. Anyone completing registration with the casinos would already need to be an adult.
HLTV could not provide reliable age figures for HLTV.org visitors. It did have data from social platforms. Ages 13-17 represented 1.5% of its Instagram audience. The same group accounted for 3.6% of interactions on X.
ASA Also Reviewed the Match Page
The regulator also reviewed what users saw on the page itself. It contained match information, team and player statistics and other material linked to professional Counter-Strike. The ASA said it had not seen evidence showing that children made up more than 25% of the audience. The complaint was not upheld.
A 15M check on September 16 found that gambling remains visible elsewhere on HLTV. The site's betting page currently lists 1xBet, 20bet, Betify, bet365 and BC.GAME in its first five positions.
The section also uses operator-specific promotions. Betify, for example, currently carries the promo code HLTV.