Cork prank influencer’s gambling partnership draws scrutiny as regulator warns of criminal risks
A routine prank inside a furniture showroom ended with security escorting a young Cork-based influencer out of the building after staff discovered him hiding beneath the bedding of a display bed. As employees questioned why he repeatedly staged encounters like this, the answer was blunt: creating these videos was his livelihood.
That exchange offers a glimpse into the business behind Vladyslav Morhulets, the 21-year-old Munster Technological University student better known online as Rendy Vlad. Over the past few years he has amassed an audience of more than one million TikTok followers by filming confrontations, practical jokes and public interactions from his own perspective, typically using Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Many of the people appearing in those videos appear unaware they are being recorded. His uploads range from disputes with shop workers to encounters involving vulnerable members of the public, including footage of a young woman experiencing a medical emergency in Cork city centre. Other clips show him pretending to hand money to strangers before pulling it away, capturing their reactions through the hidden camera built into his glasses.
Privacy concerns over Meta smart glasses
The technology enabling those recordings has already attracted attention from Ireland’s data protection authorities. Meta says the glasses use an LED recording indicator designed to alert nearby people whenever filming is taking place. Irish regulators have questioned whether that notification is sufficient, arguing it has not been shown through comprehensive testing that the small light provides effective notice. Several people featured in Morhulets’ videos told the Irish Examiner they never noticed any recording indicator while being filmed.
Meta has since tightened safeguards on newer versions of the glasses, preventing recording if the indicator light has been tampered with, following growing criticism over their use in covert filming by prank creators and self-described pick-up artists.
Turning viral fame into income
While Morhulets has built a substantial audience, turning that popularity into income is less straightforward. Ireland is excluded from TikTok’s creator rewards programme, leaving many creators dependent on sponsorships and advertising deals instead. For influencers whose content frequently attracts criticism, mainstream commercial partnerships can be difficult to secure.
Morhulets nevertheless found a sponsor.
During one prank filmed from inside the furniture store, he passed the waiting time beneath the display bed by promoting Rainbet, encouraging viewers to try the cryptocurrency gambling platform. The promotion was woven directly into the video rather than appearing as a conventional advertisement.
Questions over Rainbet’s operations
Rainbet describes itself as a crypto casino operated by RBGaming N.V., a company listing an address in the Union of Comoros. The operator says it holds a banking licence issued by the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority. That claim has been challenged by the Central Bank of the Comoros, which has publicly described the authority as a fictitious organisation providing banking and financial licences unlawfully through online platforms.
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The gambling platform has become a recurring feature in Morhulets’ content. Similar promotions also appear across the social media accounts of fellow Cork-based creator Maksym Yakushev, another prank video producer who also uses Meta smart glasses to record members of the public. Yakushev directs followers to Rainbet through an affiliate referral link, allowing him to earn commission when users register and gamble through his code.
Rainbet does not hold an Irish betting licence.
Its published terms also differ sharply from the standards expected of licensed European operators. The company prohibits customers from using VPN services that conceal their location, gives players only 72 hours to dispute wagers, accepts no responsibility where self-excluded gamblers return to betting, limits winnings from promotional bonuses and affiliate offers to $50 regardless of stakes, and caps any liability to customers at $500 even if larger losses occur.
Affiliates are promised commissions of up to 60% of gambling revenue generated by players they recruit. Promotional material highlights anonymous gambling, instant withdrawals and favourable commission structures as incentives for content creators to market the platform.
Regulator warns of criminal liability
Irish gambling regulators say that approach creates legal problems.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland confirmed that operating without an Irish betting licence is unlawful and stated that promoting an unlicensed gambling operator is also illegal. The regulator warned that offences connected with unlicensed bookmaking can carry severe criminal penalties, including prison sentences of up to eight years. It also noted that individuals assisting the commission of such offences may face prosecution alongside principal offenders.
The authority said illegal gambling markets expose consumers to significant risks, including loss of regulatory protections and the potential compromise of personal and financial information. It added that it has already engaged with businesses and other stakeholders concerning both licensing requirements and the promotion of operators that lack authorisation to serve the Irish market. The regulator also has powers to seek High Court orders requiring prohibited gambling advertising to stop.
University aware of concerns
Separately, Munster Technological University acknowledged it was aware of online content involving one of its students that had generated public concern. The university said it expects students to act in accordance with institutional values, including respect for privacy, dignity and other people, while explaining that any complaints about student conduct are considered under its established disciplinary procedures. It declined to discuss individual cases.
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Neither Morhulets nor Yakushev responded when approached for comment.
Source: irishexaminer.com
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