Photo by Wikimedia Commons, CC by-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
Sidemen go gambling in Las Vegas
Gambling wasn’t the entire focus of Sidemen’s new video. The six members of the group were assigned challenges such as buying the largest frozen cocktail from a local bar, getting a random person to subscribe to the Sidemen YouTube channel, and riding the monorail, among a list of 100 different tasks.
The gambling portion picked up at Park MGM within the first 10 minutes of the video, with different members setting out to gamble $1,000 before completing a separate slot machine challenge. Group member Harry quipped that “This is when I become wealthy,” while Simon said that “This is financial freedom right now.”
Sidemen did not document all of their gambling activity, but they showed clips of roulette, blackjack, and slot machine play. The gambling segment ran for about four minutes, all while the following disclaimer was presented on-screen:
“Gambling content shown in this video is for entertainment purposes only and gambling is strictly for 18+. If you or someone you know needs support, contact the national gambling helpline free on 0808 8020 133, available 24/7, or visit begambleaware.org.”
The segment concluded with group member Vik, known as Vikkstar, sharing the individuals’ results. He claimed that Ethan and Tobi won $2,500, Josh and Simon won $2,000, and Harry lost $1,000.
The next scene showed Ethan telling Tobi and Simon that the other group members were “just going to lose money” without them.
YouTube gambling content grows
Casino and gambling content has become extremely popular on YouTube, generating billions of views over the past year. However, that has not come without concerns.
GambleAware research released in 2025 found that gambling content posted by online influencers could make betting seem “rewarding” to children and youths. They also deemed that underage individuals were more likely to see gambling as “harmless fun” as it was increasingly destigmatized by online creators.
YouTube addressed those concerns with its rule changes announced in March. The updated regulations prohibited creators from posting videos directing users to illegal or unregulated platforms, whether through direct calls to action, showing company logos, or other means.
It also said it maintained the ability to age-restrict content that did not directly violate the platform’s Community Guidelines, but featured references, depictions, or promotions of online casino sites.
Further changes could still be on the horizon as gambling content continues to proliferate.
Sidemen has previously discussed and shown subtle depictions of gambling content, although they never promoted online casinos or gambling platforms.
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