Finnish media personality Jethro Rostedt is facing a financial penalty as authorities allege that he violated a ban on gambling promotion through his Twitch account.
In December 2024, according to media outlet Iltalehti, the Finnish National Police Board prohibited Rostedt from marketing gambling services on live streaming platform Twitch, attaching a conditional fine of €30,000 to enforce compliance.
The police board determined that gambling content on his account was published repeatedly. It alleged the material included gambling offers, encouragements to participate in gambling activities, and affiliate-style links directing viewers to online gambling sites.
Authorities concluded that the marketing was aimed at mainland Finland, which placed it in breach of Finnish gambling legislation that restricts such promotions.
According to the findings, the marketing activity was designed to attract Finnish consumers and promote participation in gambling in Finland.
Despite the prohibition and the conditional fine, the police board stated that gambling-related material remained accessible on the account.
This, it said, included archived clips containing marketing content, affiliate links, and cartoon-style characters resembling Rostedt that were used to promote gambling sites.
One gaming platform reportedly featured a section named after Rostedt’s nickname, reinforcing the perceived link between the influencer and the gambling services.
Rostedt distances himself from Twitch
The matter first came to the attention of authorities following an online tip received in May 2024. Rostedt, a former city councillor of Turku, later provided his explanation to the police board in October.
He denied acting as a gambling partner or advertiser and argued that Twitch operates as a global platform without geographic targeting. He also maintained that greeting viewers in Finland during broadcasts did not constitute gambling marketing or an inducement to gamble.
Rostedt referenced a previous enforcement case involving streamer Jouko Kärkkäinen, known online as Pottukoira, whose conditional fine was upheld in 2024 by the Helsinki Administrative Court.
The police board rejected the comparison, noting that the earlier case involved clear affiliate arrangements and income generation.
Following further review this October, authorities acknowledged that Rostedt had partially complied by deleting some recordings and ceasing new uploads. However, numerous older clips remained available.
As a result, the regulator reduced the potential penalty but indicated that Rostedt still faces a fine of €25,000.
The board stated that it retains the authority to impose or renew penalty payments if the prohibition continues to be violated.
Rostedt has publicly rejected the fine, calling it unreasonable and stating he is unable to pay it.
