The U.K. Gambling Commission has criticized technology and social media group Meta for “turning a blind eye” to illegal gambling advertisements on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, claiming that it was taking money from criminals, according to Reuters.
Key Takeaways
- The U.K. Gambling Commission has called out Meta for ignoring ads promoted by illegal gambling sites on its platforms.
- The Gambling Commission says that these ads showcase gambling sites that do not participate in the country’s gambling self-exclusion scheme.
- Meta responded saying ads that violated its gambling polices have been removed.
Speaking at this week’s ICE conference in Barcelona, the regulator’s executive director, Tim Miller, asserted that Meta’s social media sites were flooded with many illegal gambling ads that were not part of the country’s self-exclusion program, GamStop.
He added that Meta’s claim that it did not know that these types of advertisements were popping up on its platforms was false and said, "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.”
In response, Meta said it was enforcing strict policies on gambling ads, including banning ads it deemed in violation. In July of last year, Meta announced that it had introduced a more rigorous authorization process for gambling advertisers on Instagram and Facebook, requiring them to submit more up-to-date paperwork, including proof of gambling licenses and compliance certificates for the regions they want to advertise in.
"We would encourage the Commission to continue to collaborate with us to ensure users and legitimate advertisers are protected from these bad actors,” a Meta spokesperson said.
Miller ended his speech claiming that when it came to taking down illegal ads, Meta chose “not to look.”
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Meta named in lawsuit over casino-style apps
In September, a California federal judge denied Meta, along with tech giants Apple and Google, requests to have a lawsuit dismissed over allegations that they were promoting and profiting from illegal gambling by hosting apps that used casino-style gaming to addict players.
The decision came from U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, who rejected the companies' claims that, under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, they are protected from liability for hosting third-party content. Judge Davila ruled that this defense was invalid.
Plaintiffs accused Meta, Google, and Apple of exploiting users, causing some to see serious consequences like depression and suicidal thoughts, while collecting 30% commissions, which the lawsuit states came to be over $2 billion from in-app purchases.
The litigation for the three tech giants started in 2021 and had earlier appeals dismissed in May 2024. Judge Davila said the defendants could still appeal his decision to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
