Dit is hoe online casino's geld verdienen aan jou | Zembla

Since 2021, online gambling has been legal in the Netherlands, and online casinos are permitted to advertise. Well-known campaigns featuring role models, such as Dutch celebrities, were visible on television and online. To better protect young people against gambling addiction, policy was tightened shortly after legalization. For instance, a ban was introduced on using role models in gambling advertisements, and gambling companies are prohibited from targeting young people under the age of 24. Nevertheless, young people still frequently come into contact with online gambling via social media. On platforms like YouTube and Twitch, influencers stream their sessions of online casino games—such as roulette, blackjack, and digital slots—for extended periods. In doing so, they regularly encourage viewers to play along. For viewers, it is often unclear whether this constitutes advertising or entertainment. Research by Zembla reveals that more than half of legal online gambling companies have had partnerships with influencers promoting online gambling. According to the Dutch Gambling Authority, such deals violate advertising regulations because influencers are viewed as role models. Since 2022, it has been prohibited to use role models in gambling advertisements. The regulator has ordered gambling companies to terminate these partnerships. One of the interviewed influencers, active under the name NederGaming, states that he generates income through referrals to online casinos. When viewers sign up for a gambling platform via his website, he receives a fee or a percentage of players' losses. This revenue model surrounding online gambling raises questions regarding transparency and the potential influence on viewers. Zembla investigated the practices of 29 legal gambling companies, spoke with those involved, and analyzed online platforms such as YouTube and Twitch. This reveals that partnerships with so-called gambling streamers occur on a large scale or have recently taken place. Specific cases are also discussed, such as a partnership between a gambling company and an influencer known to a young audience through gaming content. Experts in the field of addiction care call the findings concerning and point out the risks of gambling addiction among adolescents and young adults. They state that influencers have a large reach among these groups and that protection against online gambling falls short in practice. The gambling industry claims that the ban on role models has not been violated and distinguishes between collaborations with influencers themselves and with their websites. According to industry representatives, these involve different forms of media. Critics dispute this, arguing that the effect on viewers remains the same regardless of the form of the collaboration. The Gaming Authority states that it will not comment on individual cases but maintains that collaborations with influencer platforms can generally also fall under the ban on gambling advertising. This has been actively enforced since April 1st. As far as is known, most collaborations between gambling companies and influencers have now been terminated. 00:00 What is the video about? 00:46 How does a gambling streamer work? 03:30 More and more young (addicted) gamblers 09:17 Gambling advertisements and the role model ban 16:50 How does gambling streaming work? 21:03 Deals between influencers and casinos 27:41 Ksa tightens ban on role models 31:12 Conclusion Compilation and direction: Evelien Vehof Research: Marco de Lange Final editing: Odette Joosten Listen to our investigative stories on our podcast: Spotify podcast: https://spoti.fi/2UBbCQ6 Apple podcast: https://apple.co/3wVX4ZA Follow us here as well: Instagram:   / zembla_bnnvara   Facebook:   / zembla.tv   Twitter:   / zembla   Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/zembla-bnnva... LinkedIn:   / zembla-bnnvara   TikTok:   / zembla_bnnvara