ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
the law. Simply streaming themselves playing a crypto casino game is probably not illegal and proving a commercial connection to un unregulated operator is not easy. AI tools are emerging in this area which show promise. Lex Hunter is an artificial intelligence platform designed to detect, map, and document the digital ecosystem of igaming, including the involvement of influencers in its promotion. The system can capture the full universe of gambling- related content, even that which remains invisible to conventional search or monitoring methods. Once content is identified, a validation module determines whether the promoted activity is legal or not within that jurisdiction. In the case of influencers, the system not only detects posts or live streams related to gambling; it also automatically builds relational networks linking those profiles to operators, agents, cash handlers, satellite services, and distribution channels. Lex Hunter monitors active channels, captures and analyzes content from social networks, streaming platforms, and closed communities, and generates structured multimedia evidence whenever direct or covert promotional behavior is detected. A common complaint is that an overwhelming number of sources of illegal content pop up as fast as others are removed. Here, too, Lex Hunter can help with fully automated tools, requiring no human intervention, specifically designed to dismantle unregulated gambling infrastructures operating within social networks and messaging platforms such as Meta, Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp. During a recent deployment in Latin America, the system executed over 190,000 actions over three months, demonstrating its ability to work at scale in this space. Using
humans for the same task would have taken much longer or required a level of investment beyond the scope of most regulators. Beyond the influencers themselves, more regulators are trying to disrupt the ecosystem that supports unregulated products. This means working with B2B service providers, payment companies, and digital platforms on which their business model relies. It also means greater collaboration between jurisdictions. As countries like Australia, which have made concerted efforts to tackle offshore operators have shown, the task is one which never ends. Conclusion Influencer marketing in gaming and gambling is set to become an increasingly important part of the marketing mix. Regulators should take care that their response should not be to reach reflexively for a ban as this is unlikely to be successful in protecting players. Rather, there is a process of education both of brands and influencers are to what is illegal marketing, and at least a possibility that they can be recruited to the cause of consumer protection. One of the missions of regulation is to maximise market share, retaining as large a part of the gambling market within licensed operators. This requires a nuanced and considered approach to influencer marketing as well as a multi-pronged offensive on the unregulated market. Influencers are knowledgeable and active players of the games they promote and many consider crypto to be the future. Recent suggestions that regulation be adapted to include crypto casino would certainly keep the regulated market open as an option for these individuals.
PHIL SAVAGE Head of European Affairs, IMGL For information contact phil@IMGL.org
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IMGL MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2025
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