Press Gazette Finds 100-Plus Royal Stories Quoting Experts Linked to Online Casino Brands

^{Press Gazette found commentary from experts tied to online casino brands running across UK and international news sites. (Photo: Bobbie Johnson / Wikimedia Commons)}

Royal commentators linked to online casino brands have been quoted more than 100 times in news stories about Prince Harry and Meghan, according to an investigation by Press Gazette. The report follows the title's earlier work on AI-generated experts unmasked in a media scandal, and was published on 27 October 2026.

Press Gazette said the first such articles appeared in 2022 and have turned up more regularly in recent months. It described the pattern as appearing to be the result of PR campaigns aimed at winning editorial mentions and links for the gambling brands, both of which carry value for search engine optimisation.

What Press Gazette Found

The brands named include Betfair, Smooth Spins, and Cafe Casino. The commentary came from figures such as Diana's former butler Paul Burrell, body language expert Darren Stanton, celebrity psychic Inbaal Honigman, and lip-reader Nicola Hickling. Press Gazette said PR man Nick Ede and former royal butler Grant Harrold have also lent their voices to casino brands.

The Daily Express was the most prolific outlet, with at least 20 articles featuring casino-affiliated experts. Others named include The Independent, the Mirror, the New York Post, Oxford Mail, Entertainment Daily, Yahoo News, OK, Edinburgh Live, and the Daily Record. In a Marie Claire piece cited as an example, Stanton analysed Kate Middleton's body language while 'speaking on behalf of UK online slots provider Betfair Casino'.

A press release seen by Press Gazette offered commentary on Meghan's 45th birthday in the name of Betfair Casino. According to the report, the release was sent to national media. Website editors told Press Gazette they decide whether to run a story based on whether it gives readers something worth reading.

How the Brands Responded

A Betfair spokesperson told Press Gazette: 'To clarify, there is no connection between Betfair and Harry and Meghan.' The spokesperson said the operator runs varied marketing campaigns with an external agency to 'keep us in topical conversations', and called such content 'standard practice across many other industries'.

A Casino.org spokesperson said there is no personal relationship between the brand and the Royal Family. The spokesperson said the site covers topics tangential to its core audience, including celebrity and showbiz, and works with external talent agencies to arrange quotes from lip readers, body language experts, and astrologers.

Why Casino Links Carry Weight

Vince Nero, an SEO and PR expert at digital PR platform Buzzstream, told Press Gazette that securing links to casino sites is difficult. He pointed to the UK's strict laws on gambling advertising and to Google's spam policies, both of which make publishers wary of the category.

'Links to casino sites are notoriously difficult for a mix of reasons.' – Vince Nero, Buzzstream, speaking to Press Gazette

Nero said that when links to casino sites do appear on link marketplaces, they are typically among the more expensive ones. Press Gazette said links on high-reputation news domains can boost casinos in Google search results, a benefit it described as potentially worth millions.

The advertising rules Nero referred to are already under political scrutiny. A Lords committee has recently called for a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising, so how brands win coverage outside paid ad channels is likely to draw more attention.