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Argentinian reality TV Star criminally charged in illegal betting case

Argentinian former Big Brother contestant Daniela Celis has been criminally charged in an illegal online betting case, which she says stems from unauthorized use of her image by a fan account.

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Key Points
Celis was criminally charged in an illegal online betting case, which she says is linked to a fake account using her image without authorization
The case adds to a broader crackdown in Argentina on influencers and public figures connected to unlicensed gambling promotions

Argentinian former Big Brother contestant Daniela Celis has been formally implicated in an investigation into illegal online betting promotions. The influencer said the case is based on a social media account and phone number that do not belong to her, and that she is now facing legal expenses to prove her innocence.

Celis addressed the situation through Instagram stories, expressing shock at the charges. She said the investigation relates to alleged betting activity in 2025 carried out through a fake account using her image. 

She stated: “Can you believe what I'm going through? I’ve just been criminally charged in a case for illegal betting in 2025, which I didn’t do, with the data from a fake account and a cell phone number that aren’t mine.”

Celis explained that the account in question is a fan page with more than 400,000 followers that has allegedly been generating revenue using her image. She said she now faces significant legal expenses in order to prove her innocence. 

She wrote: “It’s not me. It’s a fandom account with more than 400 thousand followers. It’s invoicing millions with my image and I have to pay a crazy amount of money to prove that I’m innocent.” In a subsequent post, she expressed frustration over the situation, describing it as an unfair start to 2026.

The case unfolds amid heightened scrutiny of illegal online gambling promotion in Argentina, where authorities have intensified enforcement efforts against unlicensed betting platforms and the influencers who advertise them. 

In recent months, several other former Big Brother Argentina contestants have also been investigated in connection with illegal gambling promotion. Catalina Gorostidi was formally probed for allegedly using her social media channels to promote unlicensed online gambling platforms. Authorities say she was notified of the investigation in May 2025 but allegedly continued to use her platform for such promotions.

Joel Ojeda, a former Big Brother participant and Gorostidi’s ex-partner, saw his home raided by law enforcement as part of the same probe into illegal betting promotion. 

Another ex-contestant, Coti Romero, was also subject to a coordinated raid amid allegations of promoting unlicensed betting platforms. The enforcement action was part of a broader operation that included dozens of court-ordered raids, the blocking of thousands of social media profiles and the issuance of legal notices to individuals involved.

Celis has not disclosed further details about the legal proceedings. Authorities have yet to provide additional public clarification regarding the scope of the charges or the timeline of the investigation.

Good to know

Celis first gained recognition as a contestant on Big Brother Argentina Season 10 and is currently featured on Luzu TV, where she appears regularly on streaming content tied to reality TV and pop-culture programming

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