Midnite Up To Its Neck After ASA Complains About A Football-themed Post Appealing To Minors

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) lodged two complaints regarding a social media post published by Dribble Media Ltd, trading as Midnite, on 17 September 2025. The post depicted an AI-generated parody featuring English footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold. According to the ASA, it breached the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising (CAP code) due to its inclusion of a character with “strong appeal” to under-18s. 

The post was made from Midnite’s verified social media account on 25 May 2025. In it, Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered a fictional farewell speech to his teammates at Liverpool FC. 

The video had ‘Midnite’ watermarks throughout and a reply from itself (the official Midnite page) which stated “AI-generated parody… All voices / likenesses are fictional… Not endorsed or real players/managers… Safer gambling: 18+… BeGambleAware.” 

Although Midnite acknowledged that there was an elevated risk of Trent Alexander-Arnold being a highly alluring figure to minors, they argued that the post contained no product references, odds, calls to action, or links which would have promoted engagement with gambling. As Alexander-Arnold’s departure from Liverpool FC had been a widely broadcast event, the post was solely intended to be comical.

Midnite insisted that the watermark appeared automatically and that its appearance alongside an age disclaimer and responsible-gambling message did not qualify the post to come under the ASA’s jurisdiction. However, the firm ultimately deleted the post and halted similar content.

The ASA examined whether the post was an advertisement and whether it breached the CAP Code, reiterating that the CAP Code applies to:

“Advertisements and other marketing communications by or from companies… trading on their own websites, or in other non-paid-for space online under their control, that [were] directly connected with the supply of goods or services”