The UK Gambling Commission alleged this week that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has neglected to monitor advertising from illegal casinos on its sites.
Executive Director Tim Miller claimed anyone using the company’s platforms for even a short time would likely have seen gambling ads. He also said many of the ads were from companies that aren’t part of the country’s “GamStop” self-exclusion program for legal online gambling operators.
“It could leave you with the impression they are quite happy to turn a blind eye and continue taking money from criminals and scammers until someone shouts about it,” Miller said.
Regulator Claims Meta Turning A Blind Eye
Meta representatives claimed they were unaware of the ads in question. The company knew about them once they were reported. Miller alleged that assertion was “simply false.”
He said a simple search quickly revealed ads from several gambling companies not affiliated with GamStop. He said the company chooses “not to look.”
Meta told Reuters the company has stringent policies in place for gambling ads. The company promptly removed the ads in violation once discovered or reported.
“We’ve been working closely with the commission to identify and remove all the flagged ads found in violation of our policies, and we’re using this intelligence to further improve the proactive detection tools we already have in place,” a company representative said.
“We would encourage the commission to continue to collaborate with us to ensure users and legitimate advertisers are protected from these bad actors.”
Regulators Outside US Work To Promote Responsible Gambling
When the Labour Party won the majority of seats in the UK Parliamet in 2024, many expected to see some changes to the gambling market. That included more efforts to curb problem gambling.
The regulated online gaming market in Ontario, Canada, has also seen similar efforts from regulators. They have banned professional athletes and celebrities from appearing in ads unless promoting responsible gaming.
In December, Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid began appearing in a responsible gaming ad for BetMGM.
