An offshore crypto gambling company has defended its $1.2 million (£907,000) bid to name adult content creator Bonnie Blue's baby, saying the brand and the sex worker share a similar approach to their audiences.
BetBolt, which operates from the Comoros island of Anjouan, won a TikTok auction to choose the child's name. The baby is now reportedly called BetBolt, after Bonnie accepted the bid from the gambling service.
Company's blunt response
When Metro asked the company why it chose to align itself with Bonnie and her newborn, spokesperson Leo gave an unfiltered reply: 'We feel our brands have many things in common. She quite literally f**ks thousands of men physically and we f**k thousands of men financially. Any true fan of hers is clearly vulnerable. It's the perfect opportunity to convert their porn addiction into a gambling addiction.'
Leo added that BetBolt was being 'honest and blunt', viewing the move as a 'marketing' opportunity and not fearing alienation of its customers. The company insists the full amount has been paid to Bonnie, though it declined to provide proof of funds.
Concerns for the child's welfare
Gambling with Lives reports that gambling addictions are linked to up to 496 suicides in England each year. The naming auction is the latest in a series of stunts Bonnie has staged since announcing her pregnancy and the birth of her child. Earlier this month, Tory equalities spokesperson Joy Morrissey reported her to the NSPCC over 'serious safeguarding concerns'.
Psychologist Emma Kenny told Metro the naming could be damaging for the newborn. 'It's the permanent and searchable story attached to it: that a fundamental part of this child's identity was allegedly sold to the highest bidder and attached to a gambling company,' she said. 'A name is something a child carries into nursery, school, friendships, relationships and eventually employment. This creates entirely foreseeable risks of ridicule, stigma, embarrassment and online harassment.'
Kenny added: 'This baby cannot consent to having their identity turned into a commercial transaction. As the child grows older, they may understandably experience this as evidence that they were treated as a marketing opportunity before they were recognised as a separate human being.'
When asked if the company was concerned about the baby, Leo said: 'I think the child is in good hands personally after speaking with Bonnie — we spoke after the auction ended. Financially, it's going to live like a king or queen, it won't grow up in poverty, but the media make out [Bonnie] is a monster.'
BetBolt's background and other name bids
BetBolt is an offshore crypto gambling company based on Anjouan, one of three semi-autonomous islands in the Comoros Union. Its official X account follows just 11 accounts, including Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the far-right founder of the English Defence League (EDL). The site partnered with him in June.
Robinson's 'right-hand man' Danny Tommo was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life after a video allegedly showed him slashing an inflatable raft carrying a rescue worker in the English Channel. When Metro asked BetBolt about its involvement with Robinson, the spokesperson said: 'We're just patriotic. There are many issues in the UK currently and while we might not align with all of Tommy's opinions, we do agree with some.'
Other names suggested for the child included 'HSTikkyTokky', a TikToker known for appearing in Louis Theroux's Manosphere documentary, and 'Clavicular', real name Braden Peters, who was charged with rape in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on September 8. There is no evidence either bid came from the influencers themselves.
Legal limits and Bonnie's response
While there is no official list of banned names in the UK, names can be refused if they contain profanity, obscenity or vulgar terms, or if they could cause the child ridicule or harm, according to Deed Poll Department. In 2016, a mother from Powys, Wales, was prevented from naming her daughter Cyanide after social workers intervened.
Many online accused Bonnie of 'rage baiting' with the auction. Psychologist Kenny said: 'This could be calculated rage-marketing, along with incredibly poor judgement, and a desensitisation to ordinary boundaries, or some combination of those things.' Bonnie responded: 'To those that say this is disgusting, or this is rage bait, wouldn't you for $1.2million rename your kid? Because I know I would.'
