Swedish Influencers Caught in Unlicensed Casino Promotions
A revealing investigation by Sveriges Television’s Kulturnyheterna has put a spotlight on Twitch, an Amazon-owned streaming platform, for its role in the widespread promotion of unlicensed online casinos by Swedish influencers. The investigation, which spanned six weeks, discovered that a staggering 80% of top Swedish influencers on Twitch have been engaging in the promotion of these illegal gambling sites to their followers.
In-Depth Investigation Reveals Concerning Trends
The probe meticulously reviewed the activities of these influencers, uncovering that they collectively reach about 500,000 subscribers, primarily young men born in the 1990s and 2000s. It was found that 60% of the influencers engaged in direct marketing techniques, such as sharing links to the casinos in their profiles and during broadcasts, and enticing their viewers with bonus incentives to participate in gambling.
More alarmingly, these influencers were observed directly encouraging their followers to gamble, often participating in the gambling activities themselves and involving their audience in betting decisions, which significantly deepens the engagement in such illegal activities.
Swedish Regulator on High Alert
Following the exposure of these practices, Kulturnyheterna has forwarded its findings to Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gambling regulator, underscoring Twitch’s central role in the promotion of unlicensed casinos. Despite Twitch’s 2022 policy to ban the promotion of unlicensed gambling, these activities have seemingly persisted unabated.
Spelinspektionen, leveraging the powers granted by the 2018 amendments to the Gambling Act, has been actively clamping down on illegal online gambling. Just last week, it announced a ban on a network of skin gambling websites, largely promoted on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
While Spelinspektionen has yet to respond directly to the recent investigation, it has reiterated that promoting unlicensed gambling is illegal and subject to severe penalties, including business bans and police action.
International Context and Regulatory Responses
This issue is not unique to Sweden. Similar regulatory actions have been observed in Norway, where the Gambling Authority has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards the promotion of online gambling on social media platforms, enforcing strict controls over gambling advertisements.
Conclusion
The investigation into Twitch and its Swedish influencers has highlighted a significant challenge facing regulators worldwide: the need to adapt and enforce gambling laws in the ever-evolving digital landscape. With the increasing influence of social media and streaming platforms, authorities are under pressure to curb illegal online gambling promotions effectively.
