It’s no secret that gambling related marketing is found all over Meta properties, particularly Instagram which is well suited to the bells, whistles, and neon tones associated with casino and sports betting advertising. Celebrity gambling influencers are also ever-present on the platform, promoting a high-rolling lifestyle to all who follow, scroll, and pause along their respective feeds. This is the way of the social-digital world that Americans have become accustomed to, with the public trusting that policies and regulations will protect the vulnerable. In many cases such protections are indeed in place, as regulated operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM are doing their part not just to abide by Meta guidelines, but to play an active role in investing in player mental health support. Users located outside of the U.S. states with legal sports betting map are restricted from accessing their primary Instagram profiles. Further, regulated operators abide by Meta rules to place responsible gambling messaging at the forefront of their profiles, for example:
The regulated market is not the concern in today’s feature on Instagram promoting gambling. Where the platform fails to protect underage Americans and other vulnerable persons is in regards to the allowance of unregulated gambling operators along with affiliates who push followers towards the dangerous offshore gambling market. This is in addition to gambling influencers who knowingly or unknowingly promote to underage persons. These are real threats to those who struggle with, or are predisposed to developing, a problematic relationship with gambling. Please keep reading.
Alert: The following includes screenshots from offshore unregulated gambling operators with marketing messages that may trigger someone struggling with gambling addiction.
How Instagram is Allowing Unregulated Gambling Operators and Influencers to Slip Through Policy Cracks (and why it’s a problem for gambling addicts)
Can You Promote Gambling on Instagram?
Meta Policy on Gambling
Below is a screen-grab taken directly from Meta’s Online Gambling and Gaming policy page:
On the surface this policy seems to provide for adequate protections. But despite the advanced algorithms used to run and monitor the platform there are very clear violations taking place. Read ahead to learn about how this is occurring.
Influencers Posting Links to Offshore Gambling
The thousands of Americans who perform a search for gambling related profiles on Instagram receive results such as the following:
Let’s take a look at the first pair of results, both of which are highly influential in that they each have around 150K Followers.
In @gamblinglabofficial’s bio is a direct link to the following offshore (read: illegal) gambling operator (we’ve blurred the operator’s brand name):
The mere use of “FREE Spins” in the sign-up prompt is a violation of U.S. regulations on gambling advertising. For further validation that this is an unregulated operator, have a look at where they are operating from (Curacao) and where their processing services are based (Cyprus) and the statement about being in the process of obtaining a license:
Curacao and Cyprus along with Malta and other offshore/overseas destinations are where unregulated operators get licensed in order to leverage loopholes and keep an arm’s length from gambling regulators.
Not-so creatively named @gamblers.gambling also directly links (using a link shortening tool to hide the URL) to an offshore casino that uses illegal verbiage in the USA, and is based out of Cyprus:
These are just two of numerous examples of where this blatant violation is allowed to persist. How can Meta/Instagram algorithms and watchdogs not pickup on the fact that two of the biggest gambling content resources on their platform are directly violating Meta policy? Understanding the evident weakness of Instagram, influencers and offshore operators will continue to target vulnerable populations in the USA and around the world.
Video Game Gambling Loopholes
We recently ran a feature on influential YouTuber “Coffeezilla” who exposed how offshore gambling has infiltrated popular video game Counter Strike Global Offensive (CSGO) to recruit players which overwhelmingly includes an underage base. Offshore gateway to this new group of gamblers involves the use of skins, which are cosmetic items that allow players to customize their in-game aesthetic. Video game skins are bought, traded, and sold on a variety of platforms, and offshore gambling operators have figured out how to gamify the system in a manner that allows them to recruit new and young gamblers while subverting regulations.
These offshore operators are using the same loopholes to solicit players on Instagram. As a direct example, we draw your attention to the following influential profile which links to their website in their Instagram bio:
When users arrive at the @csgoskins_official website (below) they find a typical CSGO skins platform. Readers in-the-know already know what this means, but gambling policy watchdogs at Instagram may not. All they see is what appears to be an innocuous platform where gamers can buy, sell, and trade skins:
To dismiss speculation about what’s going on, let’s have a look at what’s under the hood by opening up the website’s source code (anyone can do this) and performing a search for the gambling term “slots”:
Within the site’s source code we find 18 instances of “slots” as an application, even though the word is not used on the publicly visible site. If publicly visible, this word would get the profile flagged given that they are not regulated for gambling in the USA, and that a number of Followers are under the legal gambling age. Of particular importance is the “CaseBattleSlot” (highlighted in grey in the source code screenshot) which is a term that is directly linked to a number of known CSGO gambling influencers (perform a Google search). This includes JUICY who was identified in the Coffeezilla investigation as one of the biggest promoters of gambling to young CSGO players.
This is just one of many examples of how unregulated gambling operators and influencers are able to subvert Instagram policy via the video game loophole.
What Can Concerned Parents, Individuals, and Problem Gamblers Do?
Instagram promoting gambling on the unregulated market, even if ignorantly so, poses a major threat to underage users and other vulnerable populations. It’s also a big issue for problem gamblers who are trying to quit or take a break by using self-exclusion tools provided by regulated operators. To protect yourself and/or loved ones, you can do the following:
- Block gambling influencers from your (or your minor’s) Instagram profile.
- Use the app-provided reporting tool to report illegal offshore operators with profiles on Instagram.
- Use the app-provided reporting tool to report influencers who are linking to and/or promoting illegal offshore operators.
- Take a social media mental health break (here’s how).
- Talk to a counselor who specializes in problem gambling (as applicable).
Do you, or does a loved one, struggle with problematic gambling behavior? Connect to a Kindbridge Behavioral Health counselor right away via your preferred form of contact below.
CALL +1 (877) 426-4258
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Email [email protected]
