Top footballer Virgil van Dijk victimized (again) of Deepfake gambling commercial
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10 Jul 2024 •
Reading time: 2 minutes Virgil van Dijk, top football player and captain of the Dutch national team, has once again become the victim of a deepfake gambling advertisement. This can be read on a number of websites. This time, Van Dijk is deployed unsolicited for an illegal online casino. In the advertisement it appears as if Van Dijk is advertising the illegal gambling site, but it was not made with the footballer’s permission.
Instagram and Facebook
The deepfake videos mainly circulate on social media channels Instagram and Facebook. The makers of the videos capitalize on Van Dijk’s fame to lure Dutch gamblers to the illegal gambling site.
Euro 2024 semi-final
The timing of the deepfake videos appears to be deliberate and not a coincidence. The videos were distributed on the day that the Netherlands plays the semi-final of the 2024 European Championship against England. As a result, many people searched online for news about the competition and ended up with the videos.
Van Dijk Previously also targeted
This is not the first time that Van Dijk has fallen victim to a deepfake. In October 2023, his images were also used in a deepfake for an illegal crypto casino. Other well-known athletes, such as Belgian international Kevin De Bruyne, have also fallen victim to similar practices.
It is not recommended to play at casinos and betting websites without a valid government license. These operators often do not pay out winnings and it is punishable to take a gamble with such operators.