A new report by the Open Rights Group (ORG) has criticised Meta for placing tougher restrictions on adverts warning about gambling harm than those promoting gambling products. The UK-based digital rights group highlights what it calls a troubling imbalance in Facebook and Instagram’s ad transparency policies.
More Rules for Warnings Than for Gambling Itself
According to the report, titled “Profiling by Proxy: How Meta’s Data-Driven Ads Fuel Discrimination”, ads raising awareness of gambling risks are flagged as “political advocacy” and subject to stricter transparency requirements. Meanwhile, commercial gambling ads, including those for social casino games, face fewer disclosure demands.
This means it’s often harder to advertise campaigns about gambling harm than to promote gambling services directly. The report puts it bluntly: “Taking out an ad to push for political action on problem gambling has more conditions and restrictions attached than gambling ads.”
Targeting Vulnerable Users
ORG points to a broader issue: Meta’s platforms frequently deliver gambling-related content to users most at risk, including those with gambling problems, financial hardship, or mental health issues. This is made possible through tracking tools like Meta Pixel, which harvest data from gambling websites and feed it back into the ad system.
“The adverts were not just from the sites that had shared data unlawfully, but a whole range of others as well,” the report says, describing widespread data misuse and poor oversight.
Meta’s data profiling system, which draws from thousands of user interactions, can identify and target individuals based on inferred personal traits, including signs of addiction. This intensifies the harm for vulnerable groups.
Teen Exposure and AI Risks
Despite Meta’s stated policy of not targeting under-18s with gambling content, ORG cites repeated failures. A 2024 test by the Tech Transparency Project successfully obtained approval for gambling, alcohol, and weight-loss ads targeting audiences aged 13 to 17 using Meta’s own AI tools.
The report also warns that Meta’s use of generative AI in its advertising systems could worsen the issue. These AI tools learn from past engagement patterns, potentially reinforcing harmful targeting and profiling practices. “Fairness and equality of access are not the primary considerations,” it notes.
Regulatory Push for Accountability
ORG is calling for sweeping reforms to how digital ads operate, especially on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It wants ad profiling to be opt-in and transparency rules to apply universally, not just to political content.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is also under pressure after a High Court case where a former problem gambler won a legal battle against Sky Bet for using data to target him without proper consent.
Starting May 2025, the UK Gambling Commission will require gambling operators to let users choose what kinds of marketing they receive and through which channels. Campaigners argue similar rules must extend to tech giants like Meta, which currently operate with far less accountability.
