UK Regulator Blasts Meta Over Illegal Casino Ads on Facebook & Instagram
Britain’s Gambling Commission says Meta allowed illegal online casino ads to run on Facebook and Instagram.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The Gambling Commission has publicly criticised Meta Platforms after finding numerous adverts for unlicensed online casinos circulating on Facebook and Instagram, some explicitly encouraging users to opt out of the UK self-exclusion scheme GamStop. Tim Miller, the Commission’s executive director, told delegates at a gaming industry event that the prevalence of these ads in users’ feeds gives the platforms “a window into criminality”.
Regulator's Findings and Meta's Response
According to the Commission, many of the adverts it identified promoted operators that are not registered with GamStop, the national self-exclusion program that helps UK gamblers restrict their access to regulated sites. The regulator says those ads often contain explicit calls-to-action such as “Not on GamStop,” signaling to customers that the operators are operating outside the regulated market.
Meta has told the Gambling Commission it was unaware of the offending ads until regulators flagged them and has said it will remove material once notified. The company also pointed to its existing automated systems as a means to detect and block illicit content. The Commission rejected that explanation as insufficient. “If we can find them, then so can Meta. They simply choose not to look”, Miller said. “It’s effectively a window into criminality.” He added that the ads are easy to detect with keyword-based filtering tools that the platforms already possess and that, in his view, the company appears content to continue taking revenue from advertisers until complaints are made.
Meta’s defence – that reporting triggers removals – aligns with the company’s broader stance on content moderation across its ad ecosystem. But regulators argue this reactive posture leaves the UK market exposed to operators who avoid taxes, skirt consumer protections and target vulnerable people with high-risk products.
Related: Meta Faces Scrutiny over Revenue from Potentially Dangerous Ads
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Wider Regulatory Concerns and What Comes Next
Unlicensed gambling operators are a persistent problem for regulators worldwide. The UK Gambling Commission has previously issued cease-and-desist notices and worked to close hundreds of thousands of unlicensed domains, yet new sites continually appear. The issue crosses borders: watchdogs in jurisdictions from Romania to parts of Asia have identified similar advertising on major social platforms, prompting calls for stronger platform responsibility.
Experts warn the harm goes beyond lost tax revenue. "Ads for offshore casinos are not only evading regulation, they are also exposing people – including those trying to recover from gambling harm – to fraud and misleading offers", said Dr. Emma Reynolds, a researcher specialising in gambling harms. "Platform-level filters, tighter advertiser verification and faster takedown protocols would materially reduce exposure for vulnerable users."
The Commission has urged Meta to adopt a more proactive approach, using keyword filters, stricter advertiser vetting and bespoke detection tools to block known phrases and URLs before they reach feeds. Industry compliance consultants also say platforms should prioritise the verification of gambling advertisers and share more data with regulators to speed enforcement.
How the Commission will escalate enforcement remains unclear. The regulator can pursue legal and financial penalties against operators and has powers to require platforms to remove content, but taking action against a multinational tech firm raises complex jurisdictional and technical issues. The Commission's messaging suggests it is preparing to press harder, while continuing to test the reach and resilience of the black market in online gambling.
For the public and policymakers, the episode highlights an ongoing tension: social media companies have vast, automated ad systems and sophisticated AI moderation tools, yet regulators and consumer groups say those systems are not being applied aggressively enough when it comes to high-risk sectors such as online gambling. How Meta responds in the coming months will be watched closely by regulators in the UK and beyond.
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