Established football websites now publish AI-written stories with errors and fake quotes. Gambling content is promoted through these sites. Concerns grow over affiliate marketing and editorial standards.
Media professionals tracking the intersection of AI, editorial integrity, and affiliate revenue are watching closely as three legacy football websites-She Kicks, Football Blog, and Sportscasting-face allegations of publishing AI-generated stories riddled with errors and fabricated quotes. According to a Press Gazette investigation, these sites, now owned by ClickOut Media, have shifted from human-led journalism to automated content production, raising questions about the use of trusted domains to drive gambling and casino traffic.
The investigation, published June 19, reported that She Kicks, Football Blog, and Sportscasting introduced AI-generated reporters after their acquisition by ClickOut Media. She Kicks, which is linked to Britain’s oldest women’s football magazine, and Football Blog, established in 2004, were cited for publishing stories with factual inaccuracies. One She Kicks article on the Women’s FA Cup final reportedly listed the wrong score, misidentified goalscorers, and referenced players who were not on the teams or had already left. The article also named Gareth Taylor as Manchester City manager, despite Taylor having left the club and now managing Liverpool. Quotes attributed to Taylor appeared only on She Kicks and OneFootball, which republished the story. Another She Kicks article incorrectly named Matt Beard as Liverpool women’s team manager, although Beard had left the club and died in September.
Sportscasting was also highlighted for publishing an article based on a British Vogue interview with Declan Rice, where the included quotes could not be found in the original interview or elsewhere online. Pangram, a content-checking service, rated the article as 100% AI-generated. Football Blog was cited for an article about Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi that used an AI-generated image and was also flagged as fully AI-produced.
Byline images for authors Isabella Torres (She Kicks), Steve Adams (Football Blog), and Matthew Bancroft (Sportscasting) were determined to be AI-generated by Identifai, with the investigation noting that these author profiles had little online presence outside their byline pages. These profiles published multiple articles daily, including sports betting and casino-themed content.
Former ClickOut Media employees, speaking anonymously, described layoffs in favor of AI and a chaotic work environment. Press Gazette reported that ClickOut Media generated £40 million in turnover in 2024, declared a £3 million loss, and paid no tax. The company is believed to have applied this AI-driven model to hundreds of websites.
The investigation referenced a 2023 podcast interview with Kristoffer Holten, described as linked to ClickOut Media, who explained that casino operators pay affiliates for sending players through fixed fees, revenue shares, or banner placements. Holten also discussed acquiring large websites and converting them into casino and crypto-focused sites.
Press Gazette’s earlier reporting in March linked ClickOut Media to Finixio and detailed the company’s acquisition or association with sports, gaming, tech, and gambling sites, which were then shifted toward casino reviews, betting articles, and AI-generated content. Sites named included Sportslens, She Kicks, Sportscasting UK, Football Blog UK, Techopedia, Esports Insider, and Videogamer. Google’s spam policies prohibit site reputation abuse and scaled low-quality or unoriginal content created to manipulate search rankings. Google told Press Gazette it could not comment on specific rankings but reiterated its policies against content published at scale for ranking manipulation.
Press Gazette said it contacted ClickOut Media and its executives before publishing the June 19 investigation but received no response. The findings have intensified scrutiny of how affiliate publishers use established media brands to distribute gambling-related content under AI-generated bylines. The situation echoes broader industry debates about editorial standards and the risks of automated content, as seen in other cases where newsrooms have sought to balance AI production with human editorial judgment, such as the approach described in United Daily News Group’s implementation of structured editorial workflows.
Disclaimer: This article is not financial advice. Investing in cryptocurrencies involves significant risk. Conduct your own research or consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions. Comments must be respectful and lawful; offensive or unlawful material will be removed.
