The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has arrested 27 social media influencers suspected of promoting online gambling activities.
Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, the National Police Criminal Investigation Department Director, stated that these influencers were not controlled by a single gambling syndicate but were paid by multiple syndicates for endorsements.
Payment based on follower counts
According to the police investigation, the gambling syndicates determine the endorsement fees based on the influencers’ follower counts.
The fees range from RM1,500 to RM8,000 per month.
The investigation revealed that the higher the follower count, the higher the endorsement fee. These fees only cover promotions on one social media platform.
The police noted that these influencers also promote gambling on multiple platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram.
It is also understood that promoting on multiple platforms significantly increases their earnings.
The investigation found that at least two social media platforms were used by each influencer to promote gambling activities, with this scheme active for about a year.
Mohd Shuhaily emphasized that these influencers were not endorsing for a single syndicate but were hired by various groups.
Typically, the influencers promote gambling during live streams, integrating ads or sponsored content to invite viewers to participate in gambling.
