Meta overlooks ads from illegal gambling sites, says U.K. watchdog

Illegal gambling ads are widespread on Meta in countries where they are outlawed, according to an earlier investigation from Rest of World. Photo by LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images/Postmedia files

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The regulator has been checking Meta’s searchable ad library for operators that don’t have a license but are targeting people in the U.K., according to a speech by executive director Tim Miller, delivered at the ICE gaming conference in Barcelona on Monday.

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“It’s effectively a window into criminality,” Miller said, according to a transcript of his speech. “If we can find them then so can Meta: they simply choose not to look.”

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A spokesperson for Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Meta’s own rules require gambling companies to be licensed to advertise in the countries they target.

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The U.K. Gambling Commission is among a growing number of regulators stepping up enforcement against illegal gambling operators that target local consumers while sidestepping local laws and safeguards. The U.K. has taken down hundreds of thousands of websites linked to unlicensed gambling operators and issued cease-and-desist notices, but it’s a constant battle against an evolving target.

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Ads for illegal operators affect vulnerable people and benefit “criminals and con artists,” Miller said. Unlicensed operators don’t pay tax and consumers face a higher risk of being defrauded.

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The Gambling Commission searched for ads that use the keywords “not on Gamstop,” which refers to a U.K. service that allows problem gamblers to block themselves from playing on gaming sites. All U.K.-licensed operators must integrate Gamstop and block players using the program.

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According to Miller, Meta suggested to the Gambling Commission should use its own artificial intelligence tools to find and report illegal ads. The tech giant promised to remove ads once notified, he said.

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“I would be very surprised if Meta, as one of the world’s largest tech companies is incapable of proactively using their own keyword facility to prevent the advertising of illegal gambling,” said Miller. “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.”

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Illegal gambling ads are widespread on Meta in countries where they are outlawed, including India, Malaysia and Saudia Arabia, according to an earlier investigation from Rest of World.

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