Online gambling regulation in the United Kingdom is increasingly colliding with the realities of social media advertising. What was once viewed as a fringe issue has now moved firmly into the regulatory spotlight, as the Gambling Commission raises serious concerns about how illegal online casinos can promote themselves openly on mainstream platforms used by millions of British consumers every day.
At the centre of the latest dispute is Meta, which regulators believe has failed to adequately prevent unlicensed gambling operators from advertising to UK users. In addition to obscure content or hidden links, adverts are apparently also appearing prominently in users’ social feeds, often targeting those who are most vulnerable.
GamStop Loopholes Key to the Problem
A key concern for the Gambling Commission is the way unlicensed casinos use social media advertising to bypass the UK’s GamStop self-exclusion scheme. Many of the adverts explicitly promote themselves as being “Not on GamStop”, effectively inviting users who have chosen to self-exclude from gambling to continue wagering elsewhere.
Regulators argue that this messaging directly undermines one of the central consumer protection tools in the UK market. The adverts are often framed as alternatives to regulated sites, presenting illegal platforms as an easy workaround rather than a risk. According to the Commission, these promotions appear as paid advertising content and are visible to users without any specialist searching, raising questions about how they are being approved in the first place.
Limited Progress Raises More Questions of Accountability
The Gambling Commission has said that engagement with Meta on the issue has delivered limited results so far. Officials have expressed frustration at suggestions that regulators should deploy their own technology to identify unlawful adverts, arguing that this shifts responsibility away from the platforms that host and profit from the content.
From the regulator’s perspective, expecting public bodies to monitor commercial advertising systems at taxpayer expense raises broader questions about corporate accountability. The Commission has made it clear that responsibility for enforcing advertising rules should sit with the platform, not external watchdogs.
Meta has responded by stating that it enforces strict gambling advertising policies and removes content once violations are identified. The company says it is working with the Gambling Commission to improve detection and prevent repeat offences.
A Clear Warning
Meta is just the tip of the iceberg. The Gambling Commission has warned that affiliates, advertisers, and technology providers that work with both licensed and unlicensed operators weaken the integrity of the regulated market.
Over the past year, the regulator has issued numerous cease-and-desist notices and disrupted hundreds of illegal gambling websites. Additional government funding and proposed new powers, including the ability to suspend domains and IP addresses, are expected to strengthen enforcement efforts in 2026.
However, the Commission has been clear that enforcement alone will not solve the problem. It has called on major digital platforms to make a clear choice about their role in the UK gambling ecosystem. The goal will be for all stakeholders to take meaningful responsibility for stopping it.
