The UK Gambling Commission has escalated its criticism of social media platforms, warning that illegal online casinos are using mainstream advertising channels to target British consumers with little resistance. What regulators once treated as a peripheral compliance issue is now being framed as a systemic failure, with Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, squarely in the spotlight.
Speaking at the opening of ICE 2026 in Barcelona, Gambling Commission Executive Director of Research and Policy Tim Miller used the international stage to stress that the problem extends beyond the UK. He argued that anyone spending even a short time on Meta’s platforms is likely to encounter adverts for offshore gambling sites, many of which operate entirely outside UK law.
Bypassing GamStop or Targeting Vulnerable Audiences
A central concern for the regulator is the way illegal operators deliberately market themselves as “Not on GamStop.” GamStop is the UK’s national self-exclusion scheme, which allows individuals to block themselves from licensed gambling sites for fixed or indefinite periods. Once activated, exclusions cannot be reversed.
According to the Commission, unlicensed casinos actively exploit this safeguard by positioning themselves as alternatives for people who have chosen to self-exclude. These adverts are often served as paid social media promotions, effectively inviting vulnerable users to bypass consumer protections designed to reduce harm.
Regulators argue that this messaging directly undermines the UK’s regulatory framework and exposes problem gamblers to significant risk.
Meta’s Enforcement Problem
Meta maintains that it does not tolerate advertising from illegal gambling sites and removes offending content once it is reported. Miller rejected the suggestion that the company is unaware of such ads, calling that position “simply false.”
He pointed to Meta’s own searchable ad library, noting that basic keyword searches such as “not on GamStop” quickly surface multiple examples of unlawful promotions. In his words, the tool functions as “a window into criminality,” raising serious questions about why such ads are not being detected and stopped proactively.
Despite ongoing engagement, the Commission says progress with Meta has been limited. Officials have criticised suggestions that regulators should deploy their own artificial intelligence tools to monitor ads, arguing that this shifts responsibility away from platforms that profit directly from the advertising.
Big Money and Global Scrutiny
The dispute has also drawn attention to the financial incentives involved. A Reuters investigation previously reported that internal estimates suggested up to ten percent of Meta’s 2024 revenue could be linked to scam and illegal advertising. While Meta disputes that figure and says it has significantly reduced scam ads, regulators remain unconvinced that enforcement is sufficiently robust.
The UK concerns are just one of the examples of the pressure Meta is facing globally. Authorities in Brazil, Malaysia, India, and the Philippines have all taken action over illegal gambling promotions on their platforms, reinforcing the view that the issue is structural rather than local.
The big question is now whether major platforms are prepared to take meaningful responsibility for stopping this trend. Without that cooperation, enforcement alone will struggle to keep pace with the scale of the problem.
