At a conference at the Barcelona ICE 2026 exhibition, Tim Miller, Executive Director of the UK Gambling Commission, publicly criticized Meta for its inadequate regulation of illegal gambling advertisements. He pointed out that the Meta platform is flooded with numerous illegal online casino ads, most of which target UK users, and these sites are not connected to the GamStop self-exclusion system, still tempting users who have opted out of gambling. More worryingly, Meta's searchable ad library is described as a "crime window," where users can directly access unlicensed gambling sites by searching for keywords like "not on GamStop." Miller questioned Meta's responsibility as a global tech giant, sparking industry debate on platform regulation and user protection. Relevant cases and compliance standards for illegal gambling ads can be found on the PASA website.
Core Criticism: Meta's Ad Library as an Accomplice to Illegal Gambling
Miller's criticism directly addresses the lack of regulation by Meta, focusing on three main issues:
Prevalence of illegal ads: Illegal online casino ads are ubiquitous on the Meta platform, with many ads targeting UK users and marked "not on GamStop," specifically attracting people who have proactively distanced themselves from gambling through the UK's multi-operator self-exclusion system (GamStop);
Ad library as a tool: Meta's searchable ad library allows users to filter ads by keywords, entering "not on GamStop" to directly find unlicensed gambling sites, which Miller bluntly calls "a window to crime";
Meta's passive response: Miller acknowledges some response from Meta, but only suggests that regulatory bodies use AI tools to monitor and report ads, without actively using its keyword function for control, raising suspicions of "turning a blind eye" and willingly profiting from criminal gangs and scammers.
Miller sharply asks, "Which side is Meta really on? Is it on the side of users trying to escape the harm of gambling, or on the side of criminals exploiting the platform to prey on vulnerable groups?"
Regulatory Action: Multidimensional Crackdown on Illegal Operators
Beyond criticizing Meta, Miller also disclosed recent enforcement achievements by the UK Gambling Commission:
Issuance of cease and desist letters: From April to December last year, 592 cease and desist letters were sent to operators and advertisers;
Handling of non-compliant URLs: About 328,000 non-compliant URLs were reported to search engines, with approximately 204,000 removed; another 839 URLs were submitted for delisting, and 627 were disrupted through removal or geographic blocking;
Work objectives: Miller states that the regulatory body has gained a deep understanding of the illegal market situation and is taking large-scale actions to prevent illegal operators from targeting UK users, but more concerted efforts are still needed.
Industry Call: Licensed Operators Must Define Compliance Boundaries
Miller calls on licensed operators and suppliers to actively participate in combating illegal gambling, clearly stating that the industry needs to reflect on its role:
Defining compliance boundaries: The current boundaries between legal and illegal markets are blurred, with some suppliers serving both licensed operators and tacitly or actively supporting the illegal market, necessitating a complete change from this "pleasing both sides" state;
Raising three major questions: He urges legal businesses to incorporate illegal market threat response mechanisms in procurement, contracts, and business decisions; conduct due diligence on all suppliers and contractors to ensure they do not cooperate with illegal competitors; and set terms in contracts to prohibit partners from serving illegal operators, or establish severe breach consequences;
Emphasizing a win-win logic: Miller stresses that regulatory bodies and licensed operators need to form a consensus and cooperate to combat the illegal market, which is essential for protecting consumers as well as the revenue of the legal market, both of which are inseparably linked.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders" gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
