More than 4 million Thai Gen Z users aged between 15 and 25 became involved in online gambling by early 2026, according to data from the Information Technology Crime Suppression Center (ITCSC) under the Royal Thai Police.
Authorities said a significant portion of those users were first-time gamblers, raising concerns about the growing appeal of online betting among young people.
Influencers and Social Media Drive Growth
Police investigations found that online gambling operators increasingly rely on covert digital marketing to attract younger audiences.
Platforms have used influencers, live-streaming content, and short-form videos to promote gambling indirectly, often targeting individuals facing financial pressures. Authorities warned that these promotions frequently portray gambling as a quick way to earn money while downplaying the risk of significant financial losses.
Officials believe these marketing tactics have contributed to the rapid growth of youth participation in online gambling activities.
Criminal Networks Adopt New Payment Methods
The ITCSC also reported that gambling networks have changed how they move funds in response to enforcement efforts.
Instead of relying primarily on traditional mule accounts, operators now use corporate accounts, PayPal, international intermediary accounts, and cryptocurrencies to process transactions and conceal financial flows.
Authorities said these evolving methods have made investigations more complex and require increasingly sophisticated monitoring tools.
Police Intensify Enforcement Efforts
Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwphan, Deputy Inspector-General and Deputy Director of the ITCSC, said law enforcement agencies continue to target every part of the online gambling ecosystem, including influencers who promote gambling-related content.
Between October 1, 2025, and May 20, 2026, the Royal Thai Police and partner agencies blocked 717,425 URLs connected to illegal gambling activities across websites and social media platforms such as Facebook, Line, and TikTok.
The scale of the operation highlights the ongoing challenge authorities face in preventing illegal gambling content from reaching users online.
World Cup Triggers Increased Monitoring
Authorities have also stepped up preparations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a period traditionally associated with increased sports betting activity.
Between May and June, police targeted 309 online gambling websites as part of a focused enforcement campaign. Officials confirmed that artificial intelligence tools are now being used to identify and monitor online football betting activity more effectively.
With major sporting events expected to drive additional gambling traffic, Thai authorities have pledged to continue expanding enforcement efforts while increasing public awareness of the risks associated with online betting.
