According to a report by The Scoop, the Malaysian government is planning to take action against Meta due to the spread of illegal gambling advertisements on the platform.
This comes ahead of an important meeting between the two parties, focusing on the advertising of black market operators on social media, particularly Facebook.
The meeting, scheduled for September 22, follows numerous complaints from the government about Facebook’s inaction in addressing harmful advertising.
One of the key issues that Malaysian Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil intends to raise is the lack of action in blocking credit cards linked to black market websites.
In an interview with reporters, he stated: “If a gambling ad is paid for using a credit card, and Facebook knows this content is illegal in Malaysia, they should block the credit card account used. But Facebook has refused to do so.”
“Many people benefit from these platforms socially and economically – but we cannot allow criminals to misuse them for profit or to commit online crimes.”
The minister also criticized the platform for the accessibility and widespread presence of black market gambling ads.
Social Concern Across India
The issue of illegal gambling extends beyond Malaysia. A recent report by the All India Gaming Federation revealed the extent to which players in the country engage with the black market.
Over a three-month period, unlicensed betting platforms received a total of 1.6 billion visits.
The report highlighted the low effectiveness of current measures to combat the black market, particularly criticizing website blocking, which has not achieved the desired results.
Part of the problem lies in illegal operators using mirror sites, allowing users to bypass blocking and regulatory restrictions.
New UPI accounts play a key role in circumventing control measures, helping to hide transactions from blocking systems.
According to RBI data from July 2024, “mules” move approximately $300 million in illicit funds each month, with the illegal gambling market being one of the main beneficiaries.
Mules are noted as a key tool for evading regulatory and financial mechanisms, which the black market relies on for its sustainability.
Relying solely on website blocking as a strategy to fight the black market has proven ineffective, according to the report, citing markets such as Norway, the UK, Denmark, Belgium, and the US as examples.
The network used by illegal operators is described as “highly sophisticated,” utilizing a variety of payment methods and currencies—including UPI transactions through mule accounts, cryptocurrency, and international e-wallets.
The report also emphasizes the significant influence of social media and influencer marketing in driving traffic to illegal sites, calling for stricter advertising policies.
Over three months, social media drove 42.8 million visits to just four illegal sites, while referral traffic accounted for 247.5 million visits, primarily from adult websites, gambling affiliate programs, and promotions on sports and video streaming platforms.
Special attention in the report is given to Facebook’s advertising policy, which has expanded significantly in recent times and has had a notable impact on the spread of illegal advertising.
iGaming Expert Analysis: The Malaysian government’s actions could serve as a catalyst for strengthening strategies across Asia to ensure social media platforms take stronger measures against the black market. In India, the impact of Instagram and Facebook on illegal gambling engagement has already been observed. The recent growth of TikTok as a platform facilitating black market activity has also been noted.
The Malaysian government is clearly intent on making social media platforms act more effectively, which is unsurprising given the user traffic these platforms can direct to the black market. Hopefully, other countries will follow suit.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our Telegram channel!
