YouTube stars fined for illegal gambling

Douglas, more commonly known as Nepenthez, and Ridley both recently pleaded guilty to running an illegal betting website linked to popular video game ‘Fifa 17’, thus breaching various regulations set out in the UK’s Gambling Act.

The pair had initially entered a ‘not guilty’ plea, but later changed this to ‘guilty’, and the duo will now have to pay heavy financial penalties.

Douglas has been handed a fine of £91,000 (€106,700/$113,790), while Ridley has been ordered to pay £174,000 in fines and costs.

In response to the ruling, Sarah Harrison, chief executive of the UK’s Gambling Commission, said that the case was one of the “most serious” investigated and prosecuted by the national regulatory body

“The defendants knew that the site was used by children and that their conduct was illegal but they turned a blind eye in order to achieve substantial profits,” Harrison said.

“The effect on children of online gambling was rightly described by the court as ‘horrific’ and ‘serious’.

“All websites offering gambling facilities in Britain must be licensed; it is the only way in which children and vulnerable people can be protected.

“This case demonstrates that we will use the full range of our statutory powers to investigate and prosecute individuals and companies who try to operate illegally.”