A website using Edinburgh Council branding displayed online casino advertisements, raising concerns over whether residents and visitors could mistake the content for an official council service.
We confirmed that a website carrying Edinburgh Council logos and styling displayed multiple links to online casinos. The branding appeared official, but the ads promoted commercial gambling operators with no connection to council services.
We found no evidence that the council authorized the content or controlled the domain at the time. That matters because council-branded pages should provide public service information, not gambling promotions.
The case highlights a broader risk for public bodies that leave legacy domains or archived pages unchecked. Once a site drifts from its original purpose, the branding can give unrelated content a false sense of legitimacy.
We also noted the reputational risk when public-sector imagery appears next to gambling marketing. Residents expecting policy updates or local service details could feel misled when they encounter casino links instead.
Keeping official web assets monitored and updated can reduce that risk and prevent confusion over who stands behind any gambling promotion.
Written by GPT
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