‘This is how I make my money’: The illegal gambling app funding Irish pranksters
21-year-old Ukrainian-born Vlad, who goes by Rendy Vlad online
During one of his many recent filming excursions, Cork-based Vladyslav Morhulets, better known online as prankster Rendy Vlad, was kicked out of a furniture store for hiding under the sheets of a model bed during a botched prank.
Posing as a sleeping homeless man while secretly filming the stunt on his Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses led to his removal from the store by staff and security, with whom he tried to plead that the attempted prank had been at least a little funny. Employees swiftly assured him that it was not.
As he was ejected from the store, a member of staff asked the 21-year-old Ukrainian why he does it. His response: “This is how I make my money.” Vlad, who refers to himself as a POV (point-of-view) prankster, has built a substantial online audience by filming similar scenarios with retail employees and members of the public, boasting 1.1m followers on TikTok and 14,000 on Instagram.
The Munster Technological University (MTU) student frequently films videos he describes as "pranks" across Cork and elsewhere in Ireland using Meta Ray-Ban glasses, often without those involved realising they are being recorded.
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His videos, shared with his more than one million followers, include a young woman in a medical emergency in Cork city centre, footage of Vlad arguing with retail staff and a first-person view of the prankster pretending to offer vulnerable people money before taking it back again.
The smart glasses worn by Vlad, made by Facebook and Instagram owner Meta, have been criticised by Ireland’s data protection watchdog for failing to make clear when the device is recording.
The eyewear includes an LED light designed to activate when recording. Meta has said this indicator is intended to signal when content is being captured. However, Ireland’s data protection watchdog has said it has not been demonstrated that comprehensive field testing was carried out to confirm the LED is an effective form of notice.
Several people filmed by the prankster without prior knowledge also confirmed to the Irish Examiner that no such light was visible when they were recorded.
Meta recently announced new measures to combat secret filming following the eyewear’s widespread adoption by pranksters and pick-up artists. The tech giant confirmed that newer generation glasses will not be able to capture content if the LED light has been tampered with.
There are few ways to capitalise on a sizeable online following in Ireland. For eligible large-scale profiles in other jurisdictions, TikTok offers a creator rewards program where they earn money based on the performance of their videos. However, the program is not currently available to creators based in Ireland, as it is reserved for the US, UK and other countries across Europe.
Instagram, on the other hand, does not offer any such program yet, with monetisation options restricted to sponsored content or advertisements on Instagram Reels. For Vlad, whose videos are never short of widespread criticism, his sponsorship options are limited to a small pool of companies that are comfortable associating with his personal brand. But despite the added challenges, the software development student has managed to find one.
Hidden under the quilts of a model bed waiting to scare unsuspecting female store workers, Vlad shows his social media followers how he passes the time.
“I’ve been under the bed for like, two minutes,” he says to himself. “I am so bored here. Let’s actually play some Rainbet.” Rainbet says it is recognised among “the best crypto casino options” and is a brand name of RBGaming N.V. with an address at Hamchako, Mustamudu, Autonomous Island of Anjouan, Union of Comoros.
RBGaming N.V. claims to have a banking license from Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority (AOFA). However, the Central Bank of the Comoros has labelled the AOFA a “fictitious” structure that issues licenses and provides banking and financial services illegally through websites and online platforms.
Recent videos by the MTU student dedicate significant amounts of time to showcasing the controversial gambling app increasingly targeting young people in Ireland. These are mirrored by another Cork-based aspiring prankster, Maksym Yakushev, who follows the playbook set out by his content co-partner Vlad.
Maksym, who also films people using his Meta smart glasses without their knowledge and posts the content online, has cashed in on the Rainbet affiliate program too, with a link on his social media offering followers access to the gambling app through his unique referral code.
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Rainbet does not have a licence to operate in Ireland, and even if it tried, it would likely struggle to obtain one, as its policies are highly incompatible with European standards.
In addition to being illegal, unlicensed betting companies often contain user agreements that no legitimate regulator would approve, with the chance of losing money also considerably higher.
Deep in its terms and conditions, Rainbet bans all VPNs that hide a customer’s true location, allows customers just 72 hours to challenge a bet, accepts no responsibility for self-excluded users who relapse and caps winnings from welcome bonuses or affiliate codes at $50, regardless of how much is wagered.
In addition, Rainbet says that if it is found to be liable, it shall not pay out more than $500, regardless of how much a customer has lost.
The company markets an affiliate program to anyone with a following, website traffic or subscribers, offering up to 60% in revenue shares for referring players to the site. As new players place money wagers, affiliates who referred them earn a share of the revenue they generate.
Rainbet promotes the programme as an easy way to make money by offering generous commissions, no negative carryovers, and higher player conversions due to player anonymity and instant withdrawals. Becoming an affiliate in Ireland, however, is illegal.
In a statement to the Irish Examiner, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), which has taken over the role of issuing gambling licences from the Revenue Commissioners, confirmed that operating in Ireland without a betting licence is unlawful.
In addition, the gambling regulator noted: “It is illegal for an individual to promote an unlicensed operator.
“Unlicensed bookmaking is an offence contrary to the Gambling Regulation Act 2024,” the GRAI said, adding that unlicensed bookmaking carries a potential penalty of up to eight years' imprisonment. It also noted that a person who aids the commission of an indictable offence is liable to be prosecuted and punished as a principal offender.
“The seriousness of that offence reflects the dangers associated with the black market,” the regulator said.
In addition, if a person is advertising prohibited gambling activity, the GRAI can apply to the High Court for an order directing them to cease doing so.
The regulator said it has engaged with a variety of stakeholders, including operators who it believes should have a licence, and in relation to the promotion of unlicensed operators.
“Illegal gambling is associated with a number of risks,” the GRAI has warned.
“You risk your personal data and your financial information being compromised, and all of the protections that apply when you gamble in a regulated market are taken away.” In a statement, MTU said it is aware of content circulating online which has caused concern.
“MTU expects all students to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the University’s values, including respect for others, dignity, and personal privacy.
“Where matters of student behaviour are brought to our attention, they are considered in line with the University’s policies and procedures. As with all such matters, it would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases.” Vladyslav and Maksym did not comment when contacted by the Irish Examiner.
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