European gambling regulators are stepping up their scrutiny of social media influencers, with the Netherlands’ Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) taking decisive action against three online personalities accused of promoting unlicensed operators.
According to the regulator, Buurtwachtt, Stiefunspeelt and Turcos shared videos showcasing gambling with unlicensed providers and actively encouraged their followers to get involved. Given their reach among younger, more vulnerable audiences, the KSA said firm enforcement was unavoidable.
Under the orders issued, the influencers must remove the offending content within 48 hours and are banned from promoting illegal gambling in future. Non-compliance carries potential financial penalties of €25,000 per violation, capped at €75,000 per case. If necessary, the regulator has also warned it will approach hosting platforms directly to ensure swift removal.
The move comes as part of a wider crackdown on gambling-related advertising aimed at minors and other at-risk groups. It follows a similar case against LeftlanePapi in July and reflects a broader European trend of regulators tightening controls on influencer-led promotions.
Other jurisdictions are adopting comparable approaches. Brazil has warned local content creators against endorsing unlicensed betting brands, Italy has imposed a blanket ban on gambling advertising that extends to online personalities, and Spain has introduced stricter rules on how betting can appear in digital media. In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority has underlined that endorsements from online figures must not strongly appeal to under-18s.
Taken together, these developments point to a growing international consensus: the once loosely regulated world of gambling promotion on social media is now firmly in regulators’ sights.
