A recent report from Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s gambling regulator, has found that influencers play a significant role in promoting unlicensed online gambling services to Swedish consumers. This trend is particularly evident in spaces frequented by younger audiences, raising alarms about consumer protection and regulatory compliance.
The report, released on Monday, outlines the various online platforms and marketing tactics employed by unlicensed gambling operators. Key channels include livestreaming platforms, affiliate link networks, sponsorships, and social media.
Spelinspektionen highlighted the use of affiliate marketing networks and "link farms" that redirect online traffic toward unlicensed casinos as major methods for influencers to promote illegal sites. Many of these affiliate domains operate transiently, serving numerous Swedish users before vanishing and resurfacing under new addresses. Some affiliate landing pages utilize Swedish (.se) domains while redirecting users to English-language gambling sites, effectively concealing the true jurisdictions of the operators and targeting Swedish players directly.
Livestreaming sites such as Twitch and Kick also serve as venues for influencers distributing affiliate links and promotional codes for unlicensed operators. Popular features like leaderboards and giveaways are frequently integrated into these promotions. Although Twitch has banned several unlicensed sites, Kick has risen as an alternative platform for influencers previously barred from Twitch. Although enforcement actions have curtailed some major promotions of unlicensed gambling, many influencers have shifted their sights to international audiences or other platforms.
Social media companies, including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and X, have also been utilized to disseminate affiliate links, sponsored content, and undisclosed promotions. Particularly concerning are English-speaking comedy and influencer accounts recently producing content in Swedish, notably using deepfakes of Swedish public figures to falsely endorse advertisements.
Spelinspektionen observed instances of ads for unlicensed casinos appearing on Swedish websites, sometimes behind paywalls or restricted to certain viewing times. The regulator cautioned that programmatic advertising and AI-driven tools are enabling advertisers to bypass publisher blacklists and obscure their campaign objectives.
The authority's tip line frequently received reports of SMS campaigns promoting unlicensed gambling, targeting individuals who had self-excluded through Spelpaus with persistent messages. A new regulatory framework, effective from August 1, will impose stricter technical requirements on Spelpaus, including marketing-related checks, enhanced verification, and unique identifiers for license holders. The register will also be updated to provide better access to guidance on gambling issues and will allow players to extend their self-exclusion periods.
Encrypted or semi-private messaging apps such as Telegram are also being exploited for disseminating affiliate links and organizing giveaways. Esports has been noted as a significant sector where sponsors of skin-betting and crypto-casinos engage young audiences. Following sponsorship of major tournaments, visits to skin-betting sites in Sweden reportedly increased.
In 2025, Spelinspektionen initiated several cases related to influencer promotions and banner ads, revealing that enforcement actions successfully halted offending promotions. The focus on influencers is due to their substantial reach among young demographics.
The EU’s forthcoming Digital Fairness Act (DFA), set to be implemented later this year, may introduce stricter rules for targeted advertising that could affect gambling marketing practices, including tighter regulations on influencers. Under the Gambling Act in Sweden, promoting gambling without a license is deemed an offense.
The report also flagged a March 2026 case in which an influencer received a 22-month prison sentence for economic crimes linked to unlicensed gambling promotion. This marks the first known criminal sentence for online gambling promotion in Sweden.
Influencers continue to be a focal point of discussions surrounding black market gambling advertising within Europe. Earlier this year, a coalition of UK MPs called on the government to enact reforms on gambling advertisement, specifically focusing on influencer restrictions.
