A well-known Finnish influencer and content creator was recently issued a suspended prison sentence due to encouraging unlawful gambling activities in Finland. As a consequence of his transgressions, the online celebrity will need to forfeit significant amounts of cash, equivalent to several tens of thousands of dollars, in assets.
The protagonist of this controversy is none other than Lauri Kangas, popularly known by his pseudonym Lateksituppi. Lateksituppi is a prominent figure on the Amazon-owned streaming platform, Twitch, where he garners considerable attention for his gambling-related broadcasts.
However, it came to light that Lateksituppi was endorsing games that are not recognized by Finland’s native gambling monopoly, Veikkaus Oy. Not stopping at that, he evidently promoted unlawful products such as instant casino games, across his various social media handles.
His actions, consequently, are in clear breach of the regulations stipulated by Finland’s Lotteries Act, which subsequently led to his court proceedings.
The Streamer is Handed a Suspended Sentence
The court inferred that Lateksituppi’s content was explicitly intended for Finnish audiences, given that his streams were in Finnish and seemed to have been created with a local demographic in mind. This is equally true for his social media platforms, which disseminated illegal gambling content specifically targeting Finns.
As a reference point, the online celebrity has a fan base of more than 61,000 followers on Instagram.
In light of the damning evidence of his contraventions, Lateksituppi was given a 50-day suspended prison sentence. While he may avoid immediate incarceration, any future violations might compel him to serve the sentence.
Adding to the likelihood of incarceration, Lateksituppi will be obliged to forfeit substantial assets. Initially, the prosecution aimed to extract a fine of EUR 69,313 (approximately $74,729). However, the court ultimately decreed an asset forfeiture of EUR 51,300 (approximately $55,308).
Lateksituppi’s Response Remains Uncertain
The outcome of the sentencing, whether it leaves Lateksituppi nonplussed or perturbed, is unknown. He was portrayed as cocky by local media outlets, not only for making a grand entrance at the district court in a golden SUV but also for having the audacity to park it in slots earmarked for the police.
Furthermore, reports allege that he showed disrespect and derided the legal opposition via his social media account. The notorious gambling influencer apparently rubbished his court adversaries by implying that their wealth could never match what he has earned from promoting unlicensed gambling in Finland. Lateksituppi further taunted by claiming to earn in a day what some people earn in years by simply indulging in activities that go against the law in Finland.
In related news, the BML Group was recently penalized by Finland for contravening the country’s advertising regulations.
