AI can write your emails, generate your vacation photos, and now – apparently – convince you to place a bet. As generative tools go mainstream, the gambling industry is starting to deploy them not just for backend efficiencies, but as the face of their ads. Literally.
From synthetic influencers to deepfaked sports legends, gambling promotions are getting smarter, stranger, and harder to regulate. It’s a technological leap forward, paired with a regulatory headache that’s still trying to catch up.
The Rise of AI-Generated Influencers
In 2024, TikTok introduced AI-generated avatars for brands and creators, enabling advertisers to produce content at scale without human actors. These virtual influencers can interact with audiences and promote products, including gambling services, around the clock. While innovative, this new technology raises ethical questions about authenticity and consumer trust.
As I’m sure anyone could have predicted, this practice has already extended to celebrities. A notable example is the “Lay’s Messi Messages” campaign, where fans could generate personalized video messages from a deepfaked Lionel Messi. Although Messi consented to this use, the technology’s potential for misuse is significant.
Deep in the Uncanny Valley
While Messi Messages have, so far, not been used to promote unregulated gambling, many unauthorized deepfakes of celebrities endorsing gambling platforms have surfaced in recent months.
For example, earlier this April, Jenny-May Clarkson, the host of a New Zealand-based morning show called Breakfast, came forward to warn watchers that her likeness had been used in an AI-generated video to promote an app called “Māori Game.” The ad also included an AI deepfake of popular New Zealand actor/director Taika Waititi.
Even more recently, Sky News journalist Mickey Carroll discovered she had been deepfaked into a Facebook video promoting a mobile game called “Heavenly Sphere,” falsely claiming she won £500,000. The video, viewed over 250,000 times, featured AI-generated versions of Carroll, presenter Matt Barbet, and – for some reason – Apple CEO Tim Cook, urging users to download the app. The footage was manipulated from a previous Sky News segment, with AI altering voices and visuals.
Investigations revealed that “Heavenly Sphere” and similar apps, disguised as innocuous games on Apple’s App Store, redirected users to unlicensed online casinos upon installation. These casinos lacked age verification and exposed users to potential financial and identity theft risks. The UK’s Gambling Commission and Apple acted swiftly to remove the malicious apps and associated websites once the scam was discovered.
Reversal
Players aren’t the only ones who need to be aware of AI-trickery as it relates to gambling. The UK Gambling Commission has raised concerns about criminals using artificial intelligence to trick gambling companies. People are now using fake documents, deepfake videos, and face-swapping technology to get around identity checks and open accounts they shouldn’t be able to. These fake accounts are more likely to be used for illegal activities like money laundering or funding crime.
Gambling companies are being told to take extra care when checking customer information. If someone sends in documents to prove who they are, staff need to be trained to spot fakes, especially ones created using AI. The Commission says companies need to be alert and make sure they’re not being fooled.
Looking Ahead
Regulatory bodies are only beginning to address these challenges. The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has issued guidance on the use of AI in ads, emphasizing the need for transparency and social responsibility, but primarily as it relates to efficacy claims in ads. And, while many jurisdictions, like Ontario, have banned celebrity endorsements in gambling ads, that only applies to regulated operators who are unlikely to use such underhanded advertising tactics in the first place.
As AI continues to permeate advertising, especially in high-stakes industries like gambling, it’s imperative for companies to balance innovation with ethical considerations. Ensuring transparency, obtaining proper consent, and protecting vulnerable consumers should be at the forefront of any AI-driven marketing strategy.
