Two men have been charged for gambling offenses related to YouTube promotion, as the U.K. gambling commission signals its intent to clamp down on the practice.
U.K. residents Craig “Nepenthez” Douglas, who makes FIFA content on YouTube, and Dylan Rigby have both been charged with a number of offences after the commission investigated the website futgalaxy.com.
Douglas has been charged with “inviting children to gamble”, while Rigby will face charges related to “the provision of services to gamble”. Both are also accused of advertising unlawful gambling. All charges related to the use of virtual currency, rather than real money.
Rigby was allegedly the owner of futgalaxy’s YouTube channel, which has since shut down.
Despite the charges, Douglas has continued to create content and tweeted on Friday that “the full story” had not yet been made public.
The pair appeared at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday to be charged. Their next court appearance will be on Oct. 14.
The U.K. gambling commission released a discussion paper last month, clearing setting out their position that virtual currency gambling was still covered by existing U.K. gambling law. The commission is now setting out to clamp down on those offering services without a license and those advertising gambling to children as a “high priority.”
While a number of Counter-Strike YouTubers are facing a lawsuit in the U.S. over gambling, this is the first criminal charge brought in this long-running saga.
