Thailand Teams Up with Meta and TikTok on Gambling Ads

Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) plans to strengthen its response to illegal online gambling by working with Meta, TikTok and other social media platforms to identify and monitor gambling advertisements.

Under the proposed cooperation, the ministry will develop monitoring data with social media companies and forward the information to the Royal Thai Police for further action.

Although gambling activities are prohibited in Thailand, the country’s illegal gambling market is estimated to be worth THB1.1 trillion (£25.1 billion).

Social Media Platforms to Support Monitoring

The DE intends to work directly with platforms such as Meta and TikTok to improve the detection of illegal gambling promotions and advertising. The information gathered through this cooperation will support police efforts to address unlawful online gambling activity.

Currently, the ministry identifies illegal gambling websites through police intelligence, artificial intelligence tools that detect gambling sites and information submitted by members of the public.

The expanded approach follows ongoing concerns about social media being used to promote illegal gambling services and reach new audiences, including younger users.

In June, Thailand’s Consumer Council filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that the company had failed to adequately control scam advertisements and online fraud, including promotions linked to illegal gambling operators.

The ministry said tackling illegal gambling URLs requires cooperation between multiple organisations, rather than relying on a single agency. Its latest initiative seeks to strengthen coordination between government authorities, technology companies and other stakeholders.

More Than 835,000 Gambling-Related Websites Blocked

Thai authorities blocked 835,207 websites associated with online gambling through court orders between October 2025 and September 2026. A further 109,868 URLs were blocked through cooperation with digital platforms.

These figures relate to gambling-associated URLs and do not represent the number of unique websites or operators targeted.

The ministry combines law enforcement information, AI-based detection and public reports to identify prohibited gambling sites before coordinating with the relevant authorities to restrict access.

As part of its latest discussions, the DE met with the Anti-Gambling Foundation, Youth Network Against Gambling, Youth Health Promotion Network, and Children, Youth and Family Foundation. The discussions focused on how government bodies, civil society groups, the public and technology platforms can work together to monitor and prevent illegal online gambling.

Public Reporting and Preventive Measures

Alongside its plans for social media cooperation, the ministry outlined several additional measures to strengthen monitoring and prevention.

• Public reporting: The DE will establish channels for people to submit information, tips and personal experiences involving online gambling. These reports will support monitoring and help authorities respond more quickly.

• Search engine cooperation: The ministry will work with search engines on preventive measures designed to restrict access to gambling websites through search results.

• Public education: The DE will coordinate with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior and security agencies to inform children, young people and students about the risks associated with online gambling.

The ministry expects information from the public to contribute to a more effective monitoring system, helping platforms and government agencies coordinate their responses to illegal gambling advertisements and URLs.