BARCELONA – On the opening day of the ICE Barcelona 2026 conference, Tim Miller, Executive Director of Research and Policy at the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), issued a scathing critique of Meta. Miller accused the parent company of Facebook and Instagram of providing a “window into criminality” by allowing illegal offshore casinos to target vulnerable, self-excluded gamblers.
“Not on GamStop”: A Predatory Tactic
Miller highlighted that a significant portion of illegal gambling ads on Meta’s platforms specifically use the phrase “Not on GamStop.”
- Targeting the Vulnerable: These ads are precision-engineered to reach individuals who have registered with GamStop, the UK’s national self-exclusion register. By advertising as “unblocked,” these black-market sites lure problem gamblers back into addictive cycles.
- False Ignorance: While Meta maintains that it removes illegal ads upon notification, Miller labeled the company’s claim of being unaware of such content as “simply false.” He noted that anyone can find these offending ads in seconds using Meta’s own ad library. “If we can find them, Meta can too,” Miller stated. “They are simply choosing not to look.”
Profit Over Protection: The $16 Billion Question
The regulator expressed deep frustration with Meta’s reactive approach, suggesting that the company is “quite happy to turn a blind eye” as long as it continues to collect ad revenue from criminals.
- Passive Monitoring: Meta has suggested that regulators use AI tools to report ads. Miller countered that as a world-leading tech firm, Meta has the internal capability to proactively filter these keywords but lacks the will to do so.
- Revenue Impact: A Reuters report from late 2024 revealed internal estimates suggesting that nearly 10% of Meta’s $164.5 billion annual revenue could stem from illegal or scam-related advertisements. While Meta disputed the “overly inclusive” nature of this figure, it has intensified global scrutiny over the company’s “profit-first” enforcement model.
“Meta needs to decide whose side they are on: the side of the consumer seeking protection from gambling harm, or the side of the criminals and scammers who use their platforms to hunt the vulnerable.” — Tim Miller, Executive Director, UKGC
A Global Pattern of Enforcement Failure
The UKGC’s frustration mirrors a wider international trend of regulatory action against Meta:
- Brazil & Malaysia: In 2025, Brazilian authorities gave Meta just 48 hours to remove illegal betting ads, while Malaysian regulators warned the company it was failing to combat online crime.
- India & Philippines: Meta has faced government summons in India over betting-related money laundering probes and was forced to remove pages linked to illegal gambling influencers in the Philippines.
Industry Insight: The Blurring of Compliance
Miller warned that the digital advertising ecosystem currently allows tech platforms and affiliates to operate across both regulated and unregulated markets, making it nearly impossible for consumers to distinguish between legal and illegal operators. He urged licensed operators to ensure their own supply chains are clean and to pressure platforms to cut off the black market’s primary visibility channel.
