AI personas, fan accounts push unregulated betting in UK

Entain commissioned independent open-source intelligence researchers to map unregulated gambling promotion on social media. The study, conducted between May 4 and May 20, 2026, identified more than 30 unregulated gambling sites, 44 influencer, clipper and tipster accounts, and 72 promotional instances across seven platforms, including Kick, Twitch, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts and X.

The report found a network of AI-generated YouTube personas offering services that bypass access controls on blocked or restricted sites. The network reportedly sells pre-verified accounts, completes identity verification checks on behalf of customers and provides paid guidance on VPN workarounds.

Researchers described a pattern in which long-form streams on Kick and Twitch are clipped into short videos and shared on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts. Clipping often removes contextual signals such as sponsorship disclosures. One TikTok account reportedly used asterisks in site names, for example “St*ke” and “Rainb*t,” to evade automated moderation while keeping content searchable.

Football-related accounts were a prominent source of promotion. Investigators identified a cluster of X accounts posing as fan pages for teams such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Barcelona and Manchester United that posted identical betting tips and referral links to Duelbits. At least a dozen accounts published the same odds and tips simultaneously, often without disclosing commercial relationships. Several of the named fan accounts had estimated audience ages starting at 14.

The report also documented ambassador relationships that provide visibility for unregulated operators. It named rapper Drake and former players Sergio Agüero, Eden Hazard and Iker Casillas as having ambassador links, and flagged streamers including Adin Ross, xQc and Ed Matthews promoting unregulated gambling on platforms like Kick. Researchers noted crossover with gaming creators who promote casino play on channels that attract young viewers for Counter-Strike, RuneScape and Minecraft content.

Safeguards to prevent under-18s accessing gambling content were frequently weak or absent. Age gating commonly relied on self-declaration: Kick asks users to confirm they are over 18 without further enforcement, while PackDraw, a gamified shopping platform highlighted in the report, ran no age checks.

Researchers identified the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a near-term flashpoint, reporting that multiple sites, influencers and affiliate networks appeared to be preparing World Cup-related promotional campaigns. The study recommended further investigation into the Duelbits network, related Telegram communities and the AI-driven YouTube personas that facilitate account verification and VPN access.

Bejay Patel, Entain U.K. and Ireland managing director, described the research as “a wake-up call to government, regulators and law enforcement agencies that illegal gambling promotion is not operating at the fringes but is now operating at scale in the U.K. with coordinated networks primed to target millions of U.K. fans during the tournament.”

Entain, which operates regulated brands including Ladbrokes and Coral, commissioned the 10-page report to document how unlicensed operators use social media and influencer marketing to reach UK consumers. The researchers did not characterise the activity as a deliberate campaign targeting children and described unregulated gambling promotion as a persistent presence across social feeds that can reach young and mainstream audiences alike.