The UK Gambling Commission accused Meta of knowingly allowing adverts for unlicensed gambling operators to target UK users. Executive director Tim Miller said the authority found such operators through Meta’s advertising library and argued that Meta could identify them too.
The allegations raise compliance concerns for platforms carrying gambling advertising aimed at UK users.
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The Gambling Commission said 266,667 URLs were removed in the 2025/2026 financial year after 397,527 were reported to search engines, according to a speech by chief executive ad interim Sarah Gardner given on 20 October and published on 21 October. The regulator sent 741 formal cessation notices and reported 1,068 sites to search engines for deindexing. The UK government has allocated £26m over three years to the illegal-market effort, with a first £7m tranche available from April 2026.
The Gambling Commission said 266,667 URLs were removed in the 2025/2026 financial year after 397,527 were reported to search engines, according to a speech by chief executive ad interim Sarah Gardner given on 20 October 2026 at the International Association of Gaming Regulators conference in Lima, Peru, and published on 21 October. The figures cover the period before additional government funding became available.
The Gambling Commission reported findings from UK research into consumer participation in unlicensed lotteries and raffles on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. The regulator said consumers often focused more on whether a draw seemed genuine and offered a realistic chance of winning than on its legality, and identified risks when users were directed to third-party channels.
The Gambling Commission’s executive director Tim Miller criticised social media companies for allowing unlicensed operators to advertise, according to the report. He called for cross-sector support, but the report provides no further detail on his request.
Tim Miller, executive director of the UK Gambling Commission, opened the Ethical Gambling Forum on 28 April 2026 by discussing innovation and consumer protection. He said the regulator was nearing the final stages of reforms under the 2023 White Paper, including decisions on financial risk assessments, and cited £26 million for work against illegal gambling.
The Gambling Commission supported South Yorkshire Police operations in Sheffield and Doncaster on 4 and 5 August. Officers found 16 illegal betting terminals, cash and gold, and arrested three people; the action involved several regional and local partners.
According to the regulator's notice, the Gambling Commission backed a joint police effort in Sheffield and Doncaster aimed at unlawful betting and suspected organised crime. The activity took place on 4 and 5 August under Operation Duxford and Operation Snaresbrook.