The European Union Court has upheld a €750,000 fine levied against Google by the Italian communications regulator AGCOM. The ruling concerns gambling advertisements found on YouTube channels linked to the content creator Spike.
The initial penalty was issued in 2022 after AGCOM detected more than 630 video clips promoting gambling sites across five of Spike's YouTube channels. The regulator mandated the removal of these clips and imposed the financial sanction on Google.
Platform Liability in Commercial Partnerships
The court confirmed that digital platforms may be held responsible for content produced by creators if a commercial relationship exists. This decision reinforces the regulator's position that companies like Google share accountability for sponsored material distributed through their services.
This case highlights the ongoing scrutiny of advertising standards within the European digital ecosystem.