Dutch Gaming Authority Imposes First Penalty on Gambling Influencer
The Netherlands’ gaming regulator has escalated its enforcement against social media personalities promoting illegal gambling, issuing its first penalty notice to YouTuber LeftlanePapi for continuing to stream unauthorized gambling content despite official warnings.
Enforcement Strategy Targets Young Audiences
The KSA’s heightened focus on gambling influencers stems from concerns about their impact on young viewers. The regulator emphasizes that these content creators specifically target demographics that are particularly vulnerable to gambling-related harm.
The penalty imposed on LeftlanePapi includes a forced removal of existing content and prohibition on creating new promotional material for illegal gambling operators. Non-compliance triggers financial penalties of €25,000 per violation, capped at €75,000 total.
Two-Track Enforcement Approach
The KSA has established a dual-pronged enforcement strategy for addressing influencer violations. Upon identifying illegal gambling promotion, the regulator issues a 48-hour compliance notice requiring immediate cessation of activities and content removal.
When influencers fail to comply, the KSA simultaneously contacts the relevant social media platforms to ensure content removal and initiates penalty proceedings against the content creators. This approach aims to address both the immediate harm and establish deterrent effects for future violations.