The Italian Competition and Market Assurance Authority (Agcom) announced this Thursday (7) that it has imposed fines against digital influencers worth approximately 2 million euros for gambling advertisements.
According to the statement, these are “21 new sanctions against individuals holding accounts/channels on various video sharing platforms that released promotional recordings of games and bets with cash winnings”.
Agcom highlighted that platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X and Twitch” already have processes against them “concluded between the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024”, but, in this case, these are “sanctions imposed, for the first time, also against individuals”.
The measures were adopted in application of Article 9 of the legislative decree of 12 July 2018, “which introduced the absolute prohibition of any form of advertising, even indirect, relating to games or bets with cash winnings, as well as games of chance, whatever their form and in any medium”.
The punishment also extends to “individuals who have uploaded content in violation of the aforementioned prohibition – the so-called content creator”.
Agcom further explains that the article is aimed not only at “those who carry out the advertising directly, but also at the client, the medium or website where the advertising is published, as well as the organizer of the event or activity”, given that “everyone is equally responsible”.
The value of each fine is equal to 20% of the value of the advertising and in any case not less than 50 thousand euros for each violation. The identities of the influencers were not disclosed.
Finally, the Authority reinforces that the Lazio Court of Appeal, “with two separate sentences published on October 1st, confirmed two sanctions imposed respectively in 2022 and 2024 against the same content creators for violating the prohibition established by the aforementioned decree”. (HANDLE)
