Portugal's Online Gambling Trade Association, APAJO, has filed criminal complaints against several social media influencers for promoting unlicensed gambling websites. The association is also urging local authorities to take action.
The influencers involved, including GODMOTA, Bruno Savate, Numeiro, and Cláudia Nayara, have a combined following of 2.8 million people. APAJO is concerned that these promotions are exposing impressionable users to gambling, especially through platforms like Twitch and TikTok.
The gambling sites mentioned operate without a proper licence in Portugal. However, APAJO’s move highlights a broader issue at play in Europe’s broader gambling industry, where increasingly restrictive local regulations are prompting players to turn to offshore platforms.
In places like Norway, Sweden, and the UK, these sites offer fewer restrictions, appealing even to players who have self-excluded through programs like GamStop. Professional casino reviewer Rick Elliot for SportsTalkPhilly talks about non GamStop casinos in more detail as he reviews the best and safest ones for players to use.
Casinos not on GamStop offer UK players the opportunity to continue gambling online, even if they are self-excluded through the GamStop scheme. These platforms, though not regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, are licensed by reputable offshore gaming authorities and are known for providing a secure environment with top-tier games and attractive promotions.
As a result, there’s now an ongoing debate over whether licensing authorities like APAJO are too strict and their regulations too stringent. Despite this, the association is pushing for even stronger regulations to protect consumers and safeguard the regulated gambling market from these illegal competitors.
APAJO estimates that illegal gambling in Portugal is causing significant financial losses for the country. They believe the black market is costing the government around €100 million in tax revenues each year. However, fights over supposed tax losses won’t necessarily solve the issue as the debacle over the tax breaks for skilled foreigners showed.
To combat this, APAJO is urging for more support for Portugal’s gaming regulator, Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ). They want the SRIJ to be better equipped to tackle issues related to illegal gambling, using methods similar to those employed by other regulators in Europe.
The association's president, Ricardo Domingues, has highlighted the importance of tackling illegal online gambling to ensure that the sector remains fair and that proper taxes are collected. He sees this as a matter that requires more attention, as it continues to be largely overlooked despite its impact.
In response to concerns about gambling promotions on social media, Twitch, a platform owned by Amazon, introduced new features in May. These updates allow viewers to filter out content related to adult themes, including gambling.
The platform's new settings give users more control over what they see. It provides options to blur thumbnails and exclude streams featuring adult content like gambling and graphic violence, among other things.
These steps taken by APAJO and Twitch reflect a growing awareness of the need to regulate and control online content. The push for regulation also acknowledges the rapid expansion of online platforms, where unregulated gambling content can easily reach younger and more impressionable audiences.
By targeting influencers and enhancing controls, organisations like APAJO and Twitch state that they are striving to create a safer digital environment. However, critics argue this comes at the cost of digital freedom.
