Thailand Plans Meta Partnership to Target Illegal Gambling Ads

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) of Thailand will collaborate with Meta, TikTok, and other social media platforms to address issues regarding illegal gambling advertisements. The Ministry announced that it will create monitoring data along with the social media sites, which will be sent to the Royal Thai Police for additional measures.

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All forms of gambling activities are prohibited in Thailand. However, the illegal gambling industry in Thailand is estimated to have an economic value of THB1.1 trillion (£25.1 billion).

Platform Cooperation Takes Focus

DE said it will work with platforms including Meta and TikTok to monitor illegal gambling advertising. The ministry hopes to develop data with social networking sites that can be used by the Royal Thai Police.

This collaboration aims to improve how they will be able to identify illegal gambling content and online advertising. DE said it currently relies on police information, artificial intelligence tools that inspect and locate gambling websites, and reports submitted by the public. The ministry’s latest approach follows continued concerns over online platforms being used to promote black-market gambling services. Such platforms can be used to reach new audiences, including younger people.

In June, Thailand’s Consumer Council filed a lawsuit against Meta. The action alleged that the company had allowed scam advertisements and online fraud to spread without adequate control, including ads connected to illegal gambling operators.

The latest update suggests that DE is seeking closer cooperation with technology companies as it continues its response to illegal online gambling. The ministry said no single agency can address illegal gambling URLs alone and that cooperation across sectors is needed.

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URL Blocks Continue

From October 2025 to September 2026, 835,207 websites associated with online gambling were blocked by Thai authorities through court orders. Another 109,868 URLs were blocked through cooperation with digital platforms. The figures refer to gambling-related URLs rather than the number of distinct websites or gambling operators. The combined total shows the scale of links targeted by authorities during the fiscal year.

DE said it uses a combination of law enforcement information, AI technology, and public tips to locate illegal gambling websites. The ministry then coordinates with relevant bodies to take action against the identified links.

The agency held meetings with the Anti-Gambling Foundation, Youth Network Against Gambling, Youth Health Promotion Network, and Children, Youth and Family Foundation in the latest round of discussions. The discussion was centered on the role of the government, non-governmental organizations, the public, and technology platforms in the surveillance and prevention of illegal online gambling.

Other Planned Measures

DE also outlined other commitments in addition to its cooperation with social media companies:

• It will establish reporting mechanisms allowing the public to submit information, tips, and experiences involving online gambling. The reports will be used to support faster monitoring and prevention.
• It will cooperate with search engines in taking preemptive measures in order to limit access to gambling sites via search engines.
• It will coordinate with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior, and security agencies to educate children, youth, and students about the risks associated with online gambling.

The ministry said public reports will be important for building a monitoring system and coordinating with platforms and government agencies. The information provided by the public is expected to help authorities respond more quickly to illegal gambling content and URLs.

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Source: iGaming Expert