Archive · 20 Jan 2026
UK Gambling Commission Accuses Meta of Ignoring Illegal Gambling Ads
The UK Gambling Commission says Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, is not doing enough to stop ads for illegal online casinos.
These ads are for sites that don't follow UK rules, like the GamStop scheme, which helps people stop gambling.
Meta says it removes ads that break the rules, but the Commission says Meta knows about these ads and chooses to ignore them.
The Commission wants Meta to work better with them to stop these bad ads.
UK Gambling Commission accuses Meta of ignoring illegal online casino ads on Facebook and Instagram.
Meta claims to enforce strict advertising policies and removes violating ads once identified.
Many ads are for sites not participating in the UK's GamStop self-exclusion scheme.
Commission's executive director says Meta's assertion of not knowing about these ads is false.
Meta encourages continued collaboration with the Commission to protect users and legitimate advertisers.
- Who
- UK Gambling Commission and Meta Platforms
- What
- Accusation of Meta ignoring illegal gambling ads
- When
- Monday (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- UK, Meta's platforms (Facebook, Instagram)
- Why
- Meta allegedly fails to regulate illegal ads, continues to profit from them
- Organization Accused
- Meta (Facebook, Instagram)
- Accuser
- UK Gambling Commission
- Key Issue
- Illegal online casino advertisements
- Meta's Response
- Denies knowledge, claims to enforce strict policies
- GamStop Scheme
- Self-exclusion scheme for online gambling
