Illegal Casinos Use AI Deepfakes of Bellingham and Fernandes to Promote Betting Sites

The Guardian reported that illegal online casinos Nightwin and QH88 used the identities of Jude Bellingham and Bruno Fernandes to present them as official partners through fake news articles, photographs and AI-generated video. Nightwin purchased Instagram advertising space that directed users to a fabricated BBC story announcing Bellingham had launched his own “Bellingham Bet” app.

The app displayed a fake 4.9/5 rating and claimed more than 1.9 million downloads before routing visitors to the Nightwin platform.

The advertisements disappeared within days. QH88 produced a one-minute AI-generated deepfake video that showed Fernandes signing an ambassadorial contract with the site’s representatives at Old Trafford. An expert analysis commissioned by the Norwegian website Josimar identified blurred details, continuity mistakes and generic faces as signs of AI intervention.

Nightwin can be accessed and registered in the United Kingdom without a VPN, yet it does not appear in the Great Britain Gambling Commission’s register of licensed operators. The site is licensed only in Curaçao, where Flybergom B.V. incorporated it in May 2024 and obtained a gaming licence in September 2025.

Flybergom B.V. also operates the DK88 brand aimed at illegal markets in Malaysia and Singapore. A Great Britain Gambling Commission spokesperson said: “Whenever we become aware of an unlicensed operator we take action.

; none provided a response within the timeframe given. The Premier League directed the Guardian to Manchester United and Fernandes’ representatives. Article 27 of the FIFA code of ethics prohibits active footballers, coaches and officials from deriving any benefit from association with sports betting operators.

Yerry Mina was fined £10,000 by the Football Association in 2019 after appearing in a television advertisement for the Colombian sportsbook Betjuego.