Two charged as UK gambling commission turns its eye to skin gambling

Two men in the United Kingdom are being prosecuted on illegal gambling charges in a case connected to FIFA Ultimate Team and so-called practice of skin gambling.

Charged are Craig Douglas (pictured above) and Dylan Rigby, who was the owner of the now-deactivated YouTube FUTgalaxy channel. The BBC noted that the U.K. Gambling Commission brought the case, and it has been interested in the rise of video game gambling and curbing that.

The commission "is warning parents that children can be drawn into betting on so-called skins — virtual goods such as weapons or clothes that are a feature of many popular games," the BBC said. The global betting market for video games could be worth as much as $5 billion.

Douglas in a tweet yesterday said, "I appreciate those who has reserved judgment without the full story, but fully understand those who haven't." His case has been adjourned until Oct. 14. He and Rigby are charged with promoting a lottery and advertising unlawful gambling; Douglas also is charged with inviting children to gamble.