The UK Gambling Commission has raised concerns that Meta is failing to act against advertisements for illegal gambling websites appearing on Facebook and Instagram, despite having policies that prohibit such ads.
Regulator Says Meta Is Not Proactive
Speaking at a conference in Barcelona, the commission’s executive director, Tim Miller, criticized Meta’s approach to policing gambling ads on its platforms. According to a transcript of his speech, Miller said Meta claims it removes illegal gambling ads when they are reported, but that position implies the company is unaware of the ads unless notified.
“That is simply false,” Miller said, arguing that Meta has the technical ability to identify and block such advertising without relying on external complaints.
Gambling Ads Found Despite Licensing Rules
Meta’s internal policies require gambling operators to be licensed in the countries where their advertisements are shown. In the UK, that includes being integrated with GamStop, a self-exclusion scheme that allows users to block themselves from online gambling sites. GamStop participation is mandatory for operators seeking a UK gambling license.
Miller said the Gambling Commission was able to find advertisers that were not part of GamStop through basic searches on Meta’s platforms, suggesting gaps in enforcement.
Accusations Of Willful Inaction
Miller questioned whether Meta was deliberately failing to act, saying he would be surprised if one of the world’s largest technology companies was incapable of using its own keyword and detection tools to prevent illegal gambling ads from appearing.
“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,” he said.
Featured image credits: PxHere
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.