UK Gambling Commission Criticizes Meta Over Illegal Gambling Advertisements
Industry Spotlight at ICE Barcelona
As the ICE Barcelona event unfolds, industry experts and stakeholders are actively discussing emerging trends, challenges, and the future outlook of the gambling market. During this forum, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) voiced strong concerns about Meta’s ongoing association with illegal gambling advertisers.
UKGC Challenges Meta’s Approach
Tim Miller, the UKGC’s executive director, addressed attendees at ICE Barcelona, sharply criticizing Meta’s contradictory stance. He accused Meta of trying to benefit from the legal gambling market while simultaneously permitting advertisements for unlicensed gambling operators to remain on its platforms.
Miller emphasized that despite previous warnings from the UKGC, illegal gambling ads continue to appear frequently across Meta’s social media channels. Many of these advertisements are specifically aimed at British users and are sometimes marked as “not on GamStop,” highlighting their nature.
GamStop is the UK’s official self-exclusion program designed to help individuals control their gambling habits. Ads promoting services outside this scheme potentially lure vulnerable and self-excluded players into risky gambling situations.
Allegations of Negligence
While Meta does remove some illegal gambling advertisements once they are reported, Miller asserted that this reactive approach indicates Meta’s unwillingness to proactively address the issue. He dismissed claims that Meta is unaware of such ads, pointing out that the company has tools that could easily identify problematic content.
“Meta claims it doesn’t allow illegal gambling ads and will act when informed. But this implies they’re unaware unless alerted, which is untrue,” Miller stated.
Miller mentioned that Meta’s ad library allows users to search for keywords like “not on GamStop,” and such searches yield numerous problematic ads, suggesting Meta has the means to monitor these issues more effectively.
Further, the UKGC tried using artificial intelligence tools, encouraged by Meta itself, to detect illegal ads. Despite this, Miller accused Meta of deliberately ignoring the issue, choosing not to take sufficient action.
In conclusion, Miller urged Meta to choose whether it supports its users and protects consumers or enables criminals who exploit the platform to target vulnerable people.
