Meta Under Fire: UK Regulator Accuses Facebook & Instagram of Letting Illegal Gambling Ads Run Rampant
In a dramatic public rebuke delivered at the ICE gaming conference in Barcelona, the United Kingdom’s Gambling Commission has charged Meta Platforms with turning a blind eye to illegal gambling advertisements appearing across Facebook and Instagram — a claim that strikes at the heart of how Big Tech moderates high‑risk content. (CNA)
According to the UK regulator, Meta’s platforms are routinely showing ads from unlicensed online casinos — including sites that explicitly advertise that they are “Not on GamStop” (i.e., outside of the UK’s problem‑gambling self‑exclusion scheme). Regulators say this shows a failure in enforcement that not only violates company policy but also endangers vulnerable users. (CNA)
What the UK Gambling Commission Is Saying
In his speech, Tim Miller, Executive Director of the UK Gambling Commission, stated that anyone active on Meta’s platforms would likely encounter illegal online casino ads — including those targeting UK users. He contested Meta’s claim that it only removes such ads after being notified, calling it “simply false” and pointing to Meta’s own searchable ad library as evidence that these adverts are visible and easily discoverable. (CNA)
Miller stressed that:
- The ads often come from operators that don’t participate in GamStop, meaning they aren’t bound by UK consumer protections. (CNA)
- If regulators can find these ads with simple keyword searches, Meta surely can too, yet it chooses not to proactively block them. (Sahm)
- Meta suggested regulators use their own AI tools to detect illegal ads, with Meta only removing them after notification — a reactive approach regulators find inadequate. (MEXC)
The Commission says this lax enforcement may send a troubling signal: that Meta is content to take advertising revenue from operators skirting consumer protections and regulatory laws. (CNA)
Why This Matters: Harm, Compliance Gaps, and Public Trust
Illegal gambling sites are more than just rule‑breakers — they pose real harm to individuals, particularly vulnerable or self‑excluded gamblers who seek protection through services like GamStop but can still encounter ads for offshore operators that avoid those safeguards. Regulators warn these ads help fuel problem gambling and funnel money to unlicensed entities. (The Guardian)
This controversy also highlights a growing enforcement gap between Meta’s stated advertising policies and how they operate in practice. Meta’s guidelines require gambling advertisers to be licensed within the jurisdictions they target, but the Gambling Commission asserts that enforcement does not match that promise — a key point of criticism from regulators in the UK and beyond. (MEXC)
Meta’s (Limited) Response
In some reports, Meta has defended its actions by saying it enforces strict advertising policies and removes ads that violate guidelines once identified. They also claim to be working with the Commission and using flagged instances to improve internal tools. (Investing.com)
However, regulators remain unconvinced, arguing that proactive measures — especially leveraging Meta’s own keyword and AI capabilities — should be possible and expected from a company of its size.
Broader Regulatory Context
This isn’t an isolated issue. Around the world, regulators are tightening scrutiny of illicit or harmful ad content on major platforms. Previous investigations have cited illegal gambling ads on Meta in regions where such content is outright illegal, and internal documents suggest a significant chunk of Meta’s ad revenue may be tied to high‑risk advertisements. (SigmaPlay)
In the UK, under laws like the Online Safety Act 2023, platforms can face significant fines — up to 10% of annual global turnover — for failing to address harmful or illegal content effectively, underscoring the stakes of this growing regulatory push. (Wikipedia)
Glossary
- GamStop: A UK self‑exclusion scheme that allows individuals to block access to online gambling sites in an effort to prevent problem gambling. (CNA)
- Illegal Gambling Ads: Promotional content for betting or casino services that are not licensed in the user’s jurisdiction and often evade local consumer protections. (MEXC)
- Searchable Ad Library: A transparency tool provided by Meta that lets users and regulators see active and past advertisements running on Facebook and Instagram. (Sahm)
- Regulatory Enforcement Gap: The difference between what policies require and what actions a company actually takes in monitoring and controlling content. (MEXC)
Source: https://www.techinasia.com/news/uk-regulator-says-meta-fails-to-act-on-illegal-gambling-ads
