KSA Issues Penalty Order to YouTuber LeftlanePapi

KSA Issues Penalty Order to YouTuber LeftlanePapi

A recent enforcement move by the Netherlands Gambling Authority has placed a prominent YouTube creator, known as LeftlanePapi, at the centre of a regulatory case surrounding the public promotion of unlicensed gambling services.

According to the KSA, the influencer's channel hosted multiple live-streamed videos featuring online gambling sessions on platforms not licensed to operate in the Dutch market. In addition to the broadcasts themselves, the content reportedly included verbal and visual encouragements for viewers to participate on these platforms, an act that Dutch legislation classifies as advertising for illegal providers.

The KSA initially issued a formal warning, requiring the content be taken down. However, as the warning failed to bring the activity to a halt, and further streams of a similar nature followed, the authority has since escalated its response. A conditional penalty payment order has now been imposed.

Under the terms of this measure, the influencer must ensure all previously published infringing content is removed and refrain from any further actions that may be interpreted as promotional. Should future violations occur, a financial penalty of €25,000 per incident may be applied, with the total exposure capped at €75,000. The payment order is structured as a preventative and corrective measure rather than an immediate fine.

This step is part of a broader shift in the KSA's regulatory enforcement strategy. A revised framework, introduced earlier this year, outlines a two-phase approach to influencer-led promotions. Upon identifying illegal promotional activity, the regulator now provides content creators with a 48-hour window to remove the content in question and cease all related actions. Failure to comply within that period may result in platform-level intervention, where the KSA approaches the social media provider directly, and the imposition of a monetary sanction.

While the exact platforms involved in LeftlanePapi's streams have not been publicly identified, the authority has clarified that none of them hold the licenses required to offer remote gambling services to users in the Netherlands legally. Since the market opened to licensed operators under the Remote Gambling Act in October 2021, strict advertising controls have been imposed on who can promote such services, where they can be promoted, and in what form.

This case underscores the regulator's ongoing concerns about the indirect promotion of illegal gambling providers via digital content, particularly when streamed by influencers whose audiences may not always distinguish between licensed and unlicensed operators. The KSA has previously warned about the risks posed by such media channels, especially in cases where links or endorsements are presented in a casual or entertainment-oriented format that blurs the boundaries between advertising and other content.

Notably, the influencer in question was not fined outright. Instead, the imposed payment order functions as a conditional penalty, designed to take effect only if the behavior persists. The regulator has indicated that this type of mechanism allows it to act more swiftly and flexibly when dealing with repeat offenses or creators who may be operating across multiple accounts or platforms.

For the time being, LeftlanePapi has not publicly commented on the regulator's decision, and it remains unclear whether the content will be voluntarily removed or challenged. Regardless, the case is likely to serve as a reference point for similar enforcement actions moving forward.

By publicizing this enforcement, the KSA appears to be signaling a firmer stance on the promotion of indirect gambling via digital influencers. As the Dutch online gambling market continues to mature, content regulation is expected to take on a more prominent role in the authority's compliance priorities.