Marketing
Influencer Marketing
Definition
Acquisition and brand activity using social media creators with engaged followings, increasingly used in gambling alongside or in place of traditional endorsement.
Key takeaways
- Influencer marketing uses social media creators, from micro-influencers to celebrities, to promote gambling brands.
- In the UK, influencer content falls under ASA and CAP rules on disclosure, audience age and advertising standards.
- Spain's influencer limits were annulled in 2024 and may return by law, while most mature markets are tightening rules.
Why it matters
Influencer marketing has become a major acquisition channel for gambling operators, particularly for sports betting and crypto-native casino brands. The structures range from one-off paid posts to long-term ambassador relationships, and the creator pool spans micro-influencers (small but highly engaged audiences) to celebrity-tier creators with audiences in the millions. Crypto casino brands in particular have driven significant streaming and YouTube influencer spend.
The regulatory exposure on influencer marketing is significant. UK ASA and CAP Code rules require gambling-marketing disclosure, age-appropriate audience targeting, and adherence to advertising standards. Spain's 2020 royal decree limited the role of influencers and well-known personalities in promotional content, although the Supreme Court annulled those provisions in April 2024 and the government consulted in 2026 on restoring them by law. UKGC rules make operators responsible for the marketing of third parties acting for them, including influencers. The trajectory in mature regulated markets is toward more restrictive treatment of influencer activity, particularly where audiences skew young or where the creator's general content involves children or family-friendly themes.
Sources
- El Tribunal Supremo anula varios artículos del Real Decreto 958/2020 de comunicaciones comerciales de las actividades de juego - Consejo General del Poder Judicial
- La DGOJ abre a consulta pública la modificación de la Ley de Regulación del Juego - Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego
Frequently asked questions
Is influencer marketing the same as affiliate marketing?
Overlapping but distinct. Some influencer arrangements are structured as affiliate deals (creator-specific tracking links, performance-based commission). Others are flat-fee endorsement-style arrangements. The compliance considerations are similar but the commercial structures differ.
Are operators liable for influencer compliance breaches?
Yes in regulated markets. The operator's licence covers all marketing carried out on its behalf, including by influencers and ambassadors. In Britain, licence conditions make operators responsible for the third parties who market for them, and the ASA treats the operator, as advertiser, as responsible alongside the influencer for gambling ads posted on its behalf.