Mr Beast Games Faces Backlash for Promoting MoneyLion’s Payday Loan-Like Services

Mr Beast, known for his extravagant YouTube videos, is often in the news for goodwill and fun challenges. However, he is also involved in controversies over various topics and events. One such controversy connected him to crypto scams, and another is underway for the Beast Games.

Beast Games Controversy Over Loan App Collaboration

Besides its extravaganza challenges and massive rewards, Mr Beast’s new Amazon series, Beast Games, has become the talk of the town for controversies. The talks begin with candidates suing the Mr Beast and his show for work abuse. However, something big happened as the second episode of the series went live. Along with a fun-filled episode, the program revealed another $4.2M sweepstake opportunity, in which the users need to complete simple steps to earn millions.

Although this is an opportunity for people to earn from sitting at home, the Beast’s series collaboration with MoneyLion became concerning. The second episode revealed the steps to enter this opportunity, where people just need to scan the given QR code and create their accounts on the MonyeLion application. Although the guidelines cleared that no deposition or transactions are required, the consumer advocates showed concerns as a larger portion of Beast’s audience is teenagers who can splurge extensively with such unguided applications with high-interest loans.

Lauren Saunders, the associate director of the National Consumer Law Center, commented on the situation. She claimed that the sweepstake is just a trap to draw people into debt traps.

Offering the sweepstakes and something like that to get the excitement of young people is just a way of drawing people into debt-trap loans that increase overdraft fees and put them behind in their financial goals.

Only For Adults, Claims MoneyLion Spokesperson

Amid backlash and people targeting the Fintech app, a MoneyLion spokesperson came up front to clear the air on the situation, explaining that the app focuses on assisting people with their financial needs. Additionally, that application is for adults, as only people 18 and above can access the loans, per USA Today interview.

MoneyLion’s mission is to give everyone the power to make their best financial decisions and achieve better outcomes. We remain focused on ensuring that our products and services terms are accessible, fair, and designed to create the best outcomes for our customers.

Despite that, people’s nervousness persists as the influencer fails to consider the viewer’s concerns. However, Mr Beast is not the only one; the Hawk Tuah girl, another influencer, got in trouble with a Memecoin scam after her launched token crashed, impacting her followers heavily.

Things You Should Know About Beast Games

Jimmy Donaldson, known as Mr. Beast, has a massive fan following across every age group. Interestingly enough, there are 337M followers on YouTube and millions of others on various other social media platforms, where people enjoy Beast’s massive challenges and events, with hefty rewards. Now, he is expanding his fun act events and challenges from YouTube videos to Amazon Prime with 1,000 contestants and 10 episodes.

Similar to any of these challenges, the contestants will go through some very challenging physical and mental situations to earn $5 M, Lamborghinis, and even a private island. Till now, only two episodes have gone live, and a new episode will come every Thursday till Feb 13 at noon EST.

Mr Beast has not commented on the Beast Games controversy yet. Regardless,  the show is trending in the US and will continue to launch new episodes on set timelines.

Bottom Line

It has only been a few weeks since the people declared Mr Beast’s role in crypto scams, but the focus is now on Beast Games controversies, an Amazon Prime show hosted by Mr Beast himself. First, candidates sued the host and platform, but now the focus has shifted to shows’ collaboration with MoneyLion, a financial services and loan application. Consumer advocates asserted that promoting such applications to the younger generation puts them at financial risk. Although the Fintech application’s spokesperson clarified that this is only for adults, the concerns still exist. With that, the people are awaiting any possible explanation for this decision.