Unlicensed operators avoid taxes and consumer protections while targeting vulnerable people.
Britain’s gambling watchdog says Meta Platforms Inc. is deliberately overlooking illegal gambling advertisements running on Facebook and Instagram.
The Gambling Commission has been checking Meta’s public ad library and finding operators without proper licenses who are targeting UK users. Tim Miller, the regulator’s executive director, talked about the issue during a speech at the ICE gaming conference in Barcelona on Monday.
The UK Gambling Commission is one of many regulators worldwide stepping up efforts against illegal gambling operations. These unlicensed sites target local customers while dodging local regulations and consumer protections. British authorities have taken down hundreds of thousands of websites linked to unlicensed gambling operations and sent out cease-and-desist orders, but it’s a constant fight.
Miller said ads from illegal operators hurt vulnerable people while enriching criminals and fraudsters. Unlicensed gambling sites don’t pay taxes, and their customers face a greater chance of getting cheated.
The commission looked for ads containing the phrase “not on Gamstop,” which refers to a British service that helps problem gamblers block themselves from gaming websites. Every licensed operator in the UK must work with Gamstop and block registered users from playing.
Miller said Meta told the Gambling Commission it should use artificial intelligence tools to find and report illegal ads. The company promised to remove the ads once notified.
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