Gambling ads lead to Twitch and YouTube fines in Italy
Italy's Communications Guarantee Agency (Agcom, by its Italian abbreviation) slapped Google and Twitch with hefty fines totaling more than €3 million ($3.23 million). Violations of the country's ban on gambling advertising are subject to penalties.
Google-owned YouTube received the highest penalty, facing a fine of 2.25 million euros ($2.42 million). Twitch must pay €900,000 ($970,470) in an attempt to avoid hosting gambling content.
This isn’t the first time Agcom has taken aim at Google. A year and a half ago, the Communications and Advertising Regulatory Authority fined him 1.45 million euros ($1.47 million). However, last September, the court dismissed the fine.
20,000 gambling actions
In response to the large number of complaints it received, Agcom launched an investigation into both platforms and launched an investigation into TikTok. The agency identified more than 80 YouTube and Twitch channels containing more than 20,000 videos promoting slot machines, gambling, sports betting and scratch cards.
Both companies are liable as media owners distributing videos posted by third parties under specific commercial partnership agreements. Italy has banned gambling advertising for more than four years.
After Agcom intervened, the platform deleted the illegal content. They have also been instructed to prevent similar publications in the future under the EU's Digital Services Regulation (DSA). The guidelines force tech companies to better monitor their platforms to prevent children and teenagers from being exposed to questionable material.
TikTok should expect a similar reaction from Agcom. However, after reviewing the posted material, Agcom concluded that the gambling content was independent of any agreement between TikTok and the content provider. Ultimately, Agcom settled the case without imposing any fines.
Social Media Containment
Just like in other countries, things are getting increasingly difficult for social media platforms in Italy. The country has given the green light to new regulations to protect children online. The regulations specifically target major video platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok and will come into effect on January 8 next year.
The rules, outlined by the regulator in a statement, require tech companies to take stricter measures against videos that may pose a danger to underage users. This specifically targets content that spreads religious and racial hatred online and promotes racism and sexual assault. The revised legislation also covers a variety of other potentially harmful and illegal content.
As a result of these regulatory measures, Agcom now has the power to take decisive action against video platforms that violate regulations. In particular, these laws apply to digital platforms in other EU countries. Before enforcing these rules, Italian regulators must consult the national authorities in their respective countries.
If the measures taken by the agency fail to meet Agcom's requirements, Agcom reserves the right to make a deactivation request directly to the platform. The move underscores Italy's commitment to improving child safety on popular video-sharing platforms and ensuring tech companies are held accountable for content that may be harmful to young users or contain illegal activity.
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Source: www.casino.org
