Velvet Gems

About Velvet Gems

A deepfake gambling advertisement claiming the father of Canadian soccer star Alphonso Davies was arrested over CA$3 million in purported online casino winnings is shining a spotlight on grey-market enforcement in Alberta’s newly regulated iGaming market.

According to reporting by The Edmonton Sun, an advertiser operating under the name “Prime Spin Zone” placed an ad on Instagram showing Davies’ father being arrested by Edmonton police.

The video shows a vault filled with cash, followed by a scene where Davies’ father is released after police allegedly determine the money came from legitimate gambling, the ad claims.

About Velvet Gems

Our tip: Manchester City to win and both teams to score (19/10)

West Bromwich Albion vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (3pm GMT kick-off)

Our tip: West Brom to win (17/5)

What is Velvet Gems?

These professional content creators on Instagram aren’t limited to sports betting. There are niches of creators focused on casino games, like the controversial Fortune Tiger, with a communication strategy similar to that of sports betting.

Another influencer (fictitious name, João) shares live game-style videos on his stories, simulating high-paying gaming sessions. In them, he points out which operator or game “is paying the most”, while in another piece of content, he posts a screenshot of his exclusive Telegram group, where he shares “highest payout” times for betting on specific games.

In a third publication, he “teaches” the gambler to observe patterns in the game interface, such as an animation on the tiger’s face, a specific glow that appears or a sequence of supposed events that indicate that the big win is about to happen.