Provincial Lottery Corporations Applaud Meta’s Attempts to Clamp Down on Fraudulent Ads
-Scammers are pretending to be online gaming apps for casinos
-Players at risk of handing over personal financial data
-New Meta rules for advertisers require written permission from the company
Provincial lottery corporations are giving Meta a thumbs up for finally coming down on shady operators running fraudulent iGaming ads on Facebook and Instagram.
lottery corporations in Canada are applauding Meta’s decision to clamp down on fraudulent igaming ads that have been running on Facebook and Instagram across the country.
This has been an ongoing industry news story in Canada dating back to last year.
In January 2024, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) was warning people to stay away from fraudulent posts on Facebook pretending to be an online gaming app for Club Regent Casino. The casino, based in Winnipeg, doesn’t offer an iGaming app.
The same thing happened in Saskatchewan in February of that year – Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan issued a statement then telling people to be aware of Facebook and other social media ads for an online version of Dakota Dunes Casino and Casino Regina. Neither one of those land-based casinos has an online version.
Fake Digital Gaming Sites and Apps
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation was warning people in that province in February as well, with scammers sharing fraudulent posts and ads with names, logos, and images of BC casinos.
The Alcohol and Gaming Corporation of Ontario (AGCO) recently sent out a statement urging media companies to stop running ads for unlicensed iGaming platforms.
Ads Promoting Bogus Online Betting Sites are Widespread
In all cases, logos, names, and images of local casinos were all lifted. Those three provincial lottery corporations were sending out missives warning people not to click on those ads, where people were tricked into handing over their personal financial details, in part by offering players bonuses and promotions if they signed up to the illegitimate sites or mobile apps.
Meta got the message, introducing new rules around online gambling advertising.
Written Permission a Requirement
Companies must now get written permission from Meta to run gambling ads. Advertisers need to complete a form and provide evidence that the gambling activities are appropriately licensed by a regulator or otherwise established as lawful in that jurisdiction.
The new rules don’t just cover direct gambling ads, but include ads with destination or landing pages that contain promotions for online gambling or games, “even if there is no opportunity to gamble or game directly on that page, such as aggregator or affiliate sites.”
Online Gambling Ads the Focus
Advertisers who receive permission from Meta cannot run ads that target people under the age of 18.
Casino.org reached out to several of the provincial lottery corporations for official responses.
“We don’t have anything new to add,” said MBLL Executive Vice President, Gaming and Entertainment James Anastasio. “We continue to be diligent in reporting fraudulent ads to Meta and posting warnings to customers on our websites and social media, but we are aware these ads continue to circulate. We encourage Manitobans who encounter the fraudulent posts to also block and report.”
Lottery Corporations Respond
According to Shelley Wong, a spokesperson with BCLC, the organization “is supportive of measures like these to ensure gambling advertised on platforms is legal. Gambling organizations that operate illegally in BC are not subject to provincial regulation and are taking gambling revenue away from the Province of BC, which in turn, means less net income generated by BCLC that goes toward supporting essential programs that British Columbians rely on.”
Wong added that funds generated through BC’s current gaming model are used to help the province support health care, education, and community programs across BC.
It’s also unfortunate that there are people out there who try to take advantage of others and target individuals through fraudulent ads and communication,” Wong said. “BCLC cares about its players, and we always encourage them to contact us if they have questions or concerns, including those related to any communications they receive or ads they see online.”
A spokesperson from Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan was also complimentary of Meta’s changes, saying the updated rules for online gambling are a positive and welcome development.
“Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan hopes these changes are effective and we will continue to monitor the situation. It’s important to note that PlayNow.com is Saskatchewan’s only safe, secure, legal way to gamble online in our province,” the spokesperson added.
https://www.casino.org/news/meta-applauded-for-clamping-down-on-fraudulent-gambling-ads/