Spotting a fake money streamer is really not that hard – if you know what to look for
To begin with, it’s important to understand that in the world of casino streaming, certainty is elusive. Without complete insight into a streamer’s finances, it’s impossible to determine if they are gambling with real funds. However, for those experienced in the industry, it’s relatively easy to identify blatant fakes. Viewers who wish to avoid fraudulent affiliates promoting rogue casinos and misleading their audience must rely on their common sense and learn to recognize the warning signs detailed in this article.
Unfortunately, fraudulent streamers also cast doubt on legitimate ones, tarnishing the reputation of everyone involved and harming the industry as a whole. This provides regulators with even more reasons to impose stricter rules. The rogue affiliates, however, remain unconcerned as they operate from countries beyond the regulators’ reach, promoting offshore casinos without interference.
As a viewer and gambler, staying educated and informed is essential. Oddly enough, some viewers seem to develop a form of Stockholm syndrome, fervently defending their favorite streamer even when the warning signs are evident. Since dishonest streamers are unconcerned about the casinos they promote, many of which potentially have ties to organized crime or fail to live up to AML regulations (which could play in the hands of terrorists), this particular viewer base becomes an issue. In essence, they enable these questionable streamers to flourish. By watching their streams or signing up using their links, viewers contribute to the problem.
Fake streamers have existed as long as casino streaming itself, and the problem persists, even worsening over time. Consequently, numerous opportunists have emerged, corrupting the casino streaming scene. This attracts various spam streamers organized by shady groups operating from countries like Serbia and Russia, beyond the reach of the law and regulators. In essence, the problem is much more complex, as it is deeply entwined with organized crime.
Public discussion is the primary means of raising viewer awareness about this issue. However, many legitimate casino streamers avoid the topic, as it tends to attract a significant number of trolls. These trolls include “haters” who dislike affiliates altogether and anonymous trolls hired by fake streamers to target their critics and undermine their credibility. These trolls often use manipulative ad hominem arguments instead of addressing the fake money issue, drawing false equivalences between promoting rogue casinos linked to criminal activity and using casino bonuses, thus questioning the critics’ right to judge.
This argument, of course, is flawed, as there is a significant difference between showing complete disregard for viewers and promoting reputable casinos while being transparent about streaming deals. Another tactic employed by fake streamers and their trolls is playing the victim card, claiming to be targets of slander and defamation.
Returning to the initial question – how do you identify a fake streamer? While it is often impossible to know for certain, there are tell-tale signs to watch out for:
The streamer in question primarily plays on shady Curacao casinos, or recently, crypto casinos, which often don’t follow rules, laws, or responsible gambling policies, making them more susceptible to offering fake funds. Fake streamers choose these casinos not for their game selection or fast payouts, but because these casinos share their rogue nature and are willing to become partners in crime. These streamers never play on reputable brands like Rizk, Videoslots, or Casumo, as they cannot maintain the same high level of gambling action using real funds. As pointed out by Twitch streamer xQc, crypto casinos Stake and Roobet are two of the more prominent operators that have been known to market themselves through the use of affiliates on streaming platforms whilst also directly sponsoring streamers (both casinos are now banned on Twitch due to dubious practices and after complaints from the members of the Twitch community).
Screenshots have circulated showing operators (casinos) providing technical solutions to falsify deposit and withdrawal logs, making them appear as real transactions. Simply displaying these transactions doesn’t guarantee legitimacy. Use common sense and consider the overall picture – does it make sense? Moreover, these streamers often make massive withdrawals on Curacao casinos, amounting to hundreds of thousands, despite many of these casinos being financially unstable and imposing low withdrawal caps in their terms and conditions.
For whatever reason, there appears to be a strong correlation between suspicious streamers and providers Pragmatic Play and Hacksaw. New streamers appear out of nowhere, doing large bonus buys and ultra high bets on Pragmatic slots, frequently achieving consecutive wins. Pragmatic Play themselves state that they have no involvement with these streamers and claims that the exposure is coincidental due to their games being popular and offering bonus buy features preferred by streamers. They also emphasize that financial arrangements are between the operator and the streamer, with Pragmatic Play having no insight. This, of course, could be true, but the continued patterns observed have raised eyebrows in the gaming community. Hacksaw, for their part, has been relatively silent on the matter. But given their parallel growth with Pragmatic Play in the streaming community, they too face similar scrutiny. There’s a call from various corners of the gaming community for more transparency from both providers and streaming platforms.
Fake money streamers often inflate not only their funds but also artificially boost their viewership using bots on platforms like Twitch. As a result, the activity in their chat may not correspond to their high viewer count, or you might observe a plethora of generic usernames in the viewer list. Consider the following example: An emerging casino streamer on Twitch boasted 10,600 viewers, placing $60 bets with an $18k balance. Yet, curiously, they failed to promote a single reputable EU-licensed casino:
When you consider a streamer gambling on the level of a multi millionaire high-roller, consistently doing $50-100 bets (with outrageous $50k+ balances) on a subpar casino while urging viewers to sign up using their codes and affiliate tracker links, it raises red flags. Gambling at such high stakes using solely one’s own funds, even if you’re a multi-millionaire, isn’t sustainable in the long run. While a multi-millionaire might be able to afford significant losses, it doesn’t mean it’s sustainable. Continuous losses will eventually erode even the most substantial fortunes. Sustainability isn’t just about whether one can afford to place a bet but about the long-term impact of continuous high-stake gambling on one’s overall financial health.
The surge in crypto’s popularity can be attributed to the hesitancy of major EU-licensed casinos in collaborating with affiliates, primarily because of regulatory scrutiny. In 2016, a notable incident involved LeoVegas supplying streamer CasinoRobot with a test account to play with fake money, resulting in considerable public outcry. In response, LeoVegas has since apologized, set rigorous standards for streamers, and enhanced their operational policies. Renowned casinos such as Casumo, Guts, and Rizk have steadfastly upheld stringent measures against the use of counterfeit funds.
Warning Signs of Fake Money Streamers (Note: Often, multiple indicators occur simultaneously.)
- Utilisation of Cryptocurrency Casinos: Engaging in gameplay predominantly on cryptocurrency casinos instead of choosing those that hold robust and reputable licenses.
- Consistently Exorbitant Wagers: Placing extraordinarily high bets, exceeding $500 regularly, a practice that remains unsustainable in the long term even for the affluent.
- Sitting on Excessive Balances: Maintaining considerable balances that typical players would likely have withdrawn, raising suspicions regarding the authenticity of the funds.
- Mismanagement of Monetary Circulation: Demonstrating a pattern of recycling funds through “bonus hunts” rather than withdrawing, which may imply the non-withdrawable nature of the funds.
- Aggressive Affiliate Marketing: Promoting sign-ups through their exclusive links or promotional codes, even while displaying betting behaviors consistent with multi-millionaires.
- Abundance of Spurious Viewers: Hosting a significant number of viewers that, upon closer examination, appear to be fabricated viewer bots to inflate viewer statistics.
- Lack of Personal Investment: Demonstrating no emotional or financial impact after experiencing substantial losses, which might indicate that they are not using their own funds.
Despite most game providers we have spoken to denouncing fake money streaming, we remain unconvinced that they are genuinely concerned. Casino streaming has become their primary advertising platform, enabling them to evade regulatory scrutiny and establish direct connections with players. Unfortunately, providers often neglect thorough background checks before partnering with streamers. As one of our Twitter followers pointed out, “Do you really think anything will change? In the end, the providers will be happy that guys like that (fake streamers) play their games no matter what they say or do publicly.” There may be some truth in that observation, but rest assured, we are not influenced by any game provider and will hold them accountable for their actions just has we have in the past.
Are there any game providers that are more reliable than others? In our opinion, yes, absolutely. Relax Gaming, for instance, has contacted us multiple times to inquire about our thoughts on specific streamers, demonstrating their awareness of the issue and desire to address it. Nolimit City has also spoken out against fake streamers, as have Games Global, Blueprint Gaming, and Yggdrasil Gaming. It is unjust for unscrupulous providers to benefit from the efforts of those who strive to do the right thing. As a player, you should consider which providers you want to support. It is unlikely that you would want to back those who collaborate with shady affiliates promoting rogue casinos while placing $50-1000 Monopoly money bets, attempting to persuade viewers to replicate their actions using real money.
With extensive experience in streaming and closely monitoring the evolution of the slot streaming scene from its inception, we have gained valuable insights and have followed many established streamers for a long time. In the early days, it was common knowledge within the community that casino brand Multilotto supplied their streamers with fake funds. Today, Multilotto has been replaced by a heap of Curacao licensed crypto casinos, by many regarded as equally questionable when it comes to their marketing practices on the streaming platforms. These are brands typically operating under weak Curacao licensing known for its lack of player protection. Not all crypto casinos are bad for those who enjoy to gamble without too many restrictions, but many of them have been known for years to uitilise shady marketing practices to draw players in.
To combat this issue, which not only tarnishes the casino industry’s reputation but also contributes to organized crime, you can start by sharing this post. Knowledge is power, and raising awareness about the problem can exert pressure on wrongdoers. If you care about maintaining a safe gambling environment, we can collectively bring about real change. This message also applies to legitimate streamers, who should put aside their rivalries and collaborate more effectively.
If you enjoy watching casino streams, please remember the points we’ve raised in this article. Naturally, if you already have a negative opinion about gambling and affiliates, this information may not change your mind. However, it’s essential to recognize that not all casino streamers are equally unethical. Although most are affiliates (similar to many large streamers across various genres), there are numerous streamers who genuinely love entertaining, are passionate gamblers, adhere to regulations, and make responsible choices when promoting casinos to their viewers.
For those interested to learn more about the criticism Roobet has faced, here is a celebrated series from Coffezilla published some time ago:
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