The Gambling-Streaming Dilemma

Gambling advertising is shifting away from traditional media channels, with music livestreams on platforms like Spotify and Twitch emerging as attractive alternatives. But as the fallout from a December 2024 controversy in Australia involving Sportsbet and children's music shows, the industry is only beginning to confront the risks.

In a case that sparked outrage, Sportsbet, one of Australia's largest bookmakers, was found running ads on Spotify just before or during songs like "Let it Go" from Disney's Frozen and the popular children's show Bluey theme. That December, young listeners and their parents across the country heard betting advertisements placed between tracks intended for young children.

Sportsbet quickly paused its Spotify ad campaign, but within days the streaming platform claimed its age verification system was functioning properly, with gambling ads restricted to users over 18. The issue wasn't the age gate itself, but rather how Sportsbet's advertisements appeared alongside children's content in the first place.

A Growing Industry Trend

This advertising mishap reflects a broader strategic shift in gambling marketing as regulators tighten traditional advertisement rules, pushing operators toward digital channels. Of particular concern is gambling's increasing presence on music streaming platforms.

Regulators worldwide are responding with stricter measures. New Zealand completely prohibits betting ads on Google and YouTube to protect underage users. All online or outdoor advertisements must clearly target adults and avoid any references to music, cartoons, mascots, or other youth-appealing content.

New Zealand also requires operators to implement age filters and avoid platforms where minors might exceed 20% of the audience. This presents challenges for livestreaming services, where audience demographics are difficult to verify in real time. Broadcasters face fines up to $34,000 NZD for violations.

India has taken similar steps, with its Central Consumer Protection Authority issuing a March 2024 advisory banning the promotion of gambling activities disguised as gaming. The move aims to curb the country's widespread illegal gambling operations. This followed criticism of a media company for airing content that appeared to encourage betting.

Platforms Caught in the Middle

Streaming services find themselves torn between gambling advertisers' revenue and protecting their brand reputation. The challenge is particularly acute for live platforms like TikTok and Twitch, which are increasingly used as promotional channels.

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The controversy extends beyond gaming streams. Music livestreaming platforms like Kick, which launched in September with artists like Drake, have become vehicles for gambling promotion. For new platforms, partnerships with high-profile betting operators offer both credibility and funding.

Kick's ties to crypto casino Stake demonstrate this relationship. Drake, the platform's marquee artist, has directly participated in Stake's promotional campaigns. In April 2026, the rapper appeared in livestream gambling promotions that portrayed the cryptocurrency casino as an entertaining, legitimate activity.

These celebrity-endorsed promotions have infiltrated music channels, with underground music streams reportedly being repurposed as vehicles for subtle gambling advertisements. The practice takes advantage of streamers' content autonomy and ability to bypass stricter moderation systems on traditional platforms.

The Regulatory Response

Governments are implementing various controls to address these concerns. While Spotify maintains its digital safeguards prevent ads from reaching young users, countries like Australia and New Zealand favor stricter government-level regulation.

New Zealand's policies are particularly comprehensive, prohibiting gambling ads on platforms popular with minors and banning any advertisements featuring youth-oriented content. The regulations reflect growing concern about the mismatch between platform content and the gambling advertisements inserted into users' streams.

The key question remains whether regulators will take more direct action to close this gap and better protect consumers from inappropriate gambling promotions hidden in their entertainment streams.