Recent leaks from the Curaçao Gaming Authority have provided insight into how one of New Zealand’s largest offshore online casinos boosted its presence through influencers, streamers and sports figures.
In September, German hacker and journalist Lilith Wittmann leaked over 84,000 internal documents from the gambling regulator. These files reportedly contained financial information, business plans and ownership details relating to thousands of Curaçao-licensed casinos.
The leak offers a rare insight into the operations of Curaçao’s gambling industry, which has grown under a licensing regime known for low levels of corporate transparency. Among the companies featured in the leaked files is SpinBet, which describes itself as the leading online casino in New Zealand.
SpinBet Focused on Influencer Marketing
SpinBet’s leaked business plan from 2023 relied on a strategy for retaining its position in the New Zealand market and expanding its exposure. The company, formerly known as SpinBit, said its success had been driven by a dedicated management team, focused on marketing and player acquisition.
The plan essentially highlighted the role of social media personalities and gambling streamers. At the time, SpinBet said it had seven streamers consistently driving traffic to its platform, including four abroad.
“Utilising the streaming network enables us to drive traffic to private social media groups where further content can be driven,” the business plan stated.
The strategy entailed working with New Zealand gambling streamers and influencers, including The Degeneration Nation, a gambling streaming collective featuring social media personality Tim Naki. SpinBet also sought to replicate the success of this approach as it tried to expand into Canada.
The company also collaborated with Auckland-based UFC fighter Dan Hooker through a sponsorship arrangement. SpinBet’s website has featured images of Hooker with the company’s logo. However, recent social media activity did not appear to show him directly promoting SpinBet.
Previous Advertising Breach
The revelations are particularly important as SpinBet has already faced regulatory penalty in New Zealand over its promotional activities.
In September 2025, SpinBet and four social media influencers, including Millie Elder-Holmes, were fined by New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs for promoting gambling.
The action was a result of a warning from the department earlier in the year over alleged illegal gambling advertising. However, the warning did not prevent the said promotional activity breaches.
Currently, New Zealand’s licensed online casino sector is not up and running, allowing offshore operators to target local customers while operating outside the country's future licensing system. But there are restrictions on gambling advertising already in place.
The leaked business plan suggests that influencer and streaming activity was not accidental but played a major part in SpinBet’s customer acquisition strategy.
Concerns Over Young Audiences
Andrée Froude, principal advisor for advocacy and engagement at the Problem Gambling Foundation, said that such strategies are examples of concerns about how gambling companies attract and retain customers.
“It sort of highlights what we’ve been saying for years about the tactics that the gambling industry uses, not just to get people engaged, but to keep them there,” Froude said.
She is also worried about the use of influencers, streamers and sports personalities to promote gambling.
“If you look at where they were planning to find new customers, using streamers, influencers, a sports star, and viral social content, that’s of real concern because those are obviously spaces where young people spend their time.”
Streamers often get payments from operators for broadcasting themselves betting. Some also use affiliate arrangements, earning money when viewers register or gamble through links associated with their content.
Research from Swansea University has previously linked gambling livestreams with the normalisation of risky gambling behaviour and potential addiction among younger audiences.
SpinBet Owner Documented €83 Million Revenue
The leaked documents also show the size of SpinBet’s business. Figures for its owner, Pretense Flip N.V., indicate revenue of €83 million during the 2024 financial year, or approximately NZ$166.5 million.
However, the documents do not specify how much of this revenue came specifically from New Zealand customers. Still, according to the operator, New Zealand has been one of its most important markets.
Meanwhile, the scope of the country’s illegal gambling sector is substantial. Reports by Dot Loves Data estimated that the online gambling market was worth NZ$1.36 billion in the 12 months to September 2025.
The 15 largest online gambling providers accounted for more than 80% of total spending during the period.
Curaçao Leak Exposes Wider Offshore Gambling Industry
The recent revelations form part of a much broader picture about the controversial Curaçao leak. Curaçao has been a key licensing jurisdiction for online gambling operators, with thousands of companies registered on the island. The leaks provided unprecedented access to information that would otherwise remain difficult to obtain.
The documents have also produced revelations beyond New Zealand. Former Australian National Party MP De-Anne Kelly was identified as a co-founder of LuckyBet, an online casino that was warned by Australian authorities last year over alleged breaches of gambling laws.
Kelly was no longer a shareholder when the warning was issued. However, decades earlier, she had voted in favour of legislation restricting certain forms of online gambling, arguing that gambling websites were “exploiting the vulnerable and susceptible in our society”.
The revelations highlight the growing tension between offshore gambling and national regulators. While countries including New Zealand move towards tighter licensing frameworks, the ability of international operators to reach local consumers through social media and influencer networks is likely to remain a major regulatory concern.
