A recent investigation by Kulturnyheterna, the investigative division of Sweden's Sveriges Television AB (SVT), has revealed that eight out of the top ten Twitch influencers in Sweden are promoting unlicensed casinos on their channels. The investigation highlights concerns regarding the exposure of approximately half a million viewers, predominantly individuals under the age of forty, to these unauthorized gambling platforms.
During live broadcasts, it was observed that 60% of the streamers employed direct marketing strategies, such as sharing links to illegal casinos within their profiles and broadcasts, as well as enticing subscribers with sign-up bonuses.
Furthermore, Kulturnyheterna discovered instances where influencers actively encouraged their fans to engage in online casino activities, even involving them in betting decisions.
Despite Twitch's introduction of rules prohibiting the advertisement of gaming content in 2022, the platform continues to face challenges in effectively enforcing regulations surrounding gambling-related content. This investigation underscores the need for heightened vigilance and enforcement measures to combat the promotion of unlicensed gambling platforms, particularly within influential online communities like Twitch.
