Operators demand removal of illegal betting advertising links
The sports betting ecosystem has intensified pressure on major technology platforms to swiftly remove “illegal advertising links” that point to unauthorized sites. According to industry sources, the proliferation of campaigns and redirects that capture traffic toward unlicensed operators distorts competition and exposes consumers to significant risks. The demand focuses on large-scale environments such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, where massive reach and targeting models can amplify out-of-compliance marketing practices. At the same time, regulatory progress in Brazil and other Latin American markets places responsible advertising and license verification as priority compliance pillars for the entire digital channel.
The core of sportsbooks’ demand centers on the removal of commercial hyperlinks, sponsored links, and affiliate routes that lead to betting pages not authorized in the target jurisdiction. These tactics often operate through influencer posts, short videos, ephemeral stories, and link aggregators that conceal the final destination, aiming to evade automated filters. Operators maintain that big tech companies have moderation tools and policies that already prohibit the promotion of unauthorized online gambling, and that their systematic application should include detecting “illegal advertising links” and blocking their monetization. Furthermore, they urge direct cooperation mechanisms with regulators to expedite “takedowns” and ensure that ads only point to domains with valid licenses.
The mentioned platforms — Facebook and Instagram under Meta’s umbrella, LinkedIn owned by Microsoft, and YouTube integrated into Google’s ecosystem — have advertising guidelines that restrict real-money gambling advertising to authorized companies and pre-approved campaigns. In mature markets, these companies operate advertising whitelisting processes, age verification, jurisdictional targeting, and compliance requirements that include responsible gambling messaging. However, affiliate intermediation and the emergence of cloaking schemes complicate enforcement, opening gaps through which links to unregulated operators circulate. For compliance-oriented sportsbooks, this situation erodes legitimate acquisition metrics, increases media costs, and creates competitive asymmetries against those who circumvent the rules.
In Brazil, the regulation of the fixed-odds market has been strengthened since the enactment of Law 14,790/2023 and the creation of the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets within the Ministry of Finance as the competent authority. The regulatory framework is advancing toward a licensing regime, integrity rules, responsible gambling controls, KYC and AML, and advertising guidelines that prioritize the protection of minors and transparency toward consumers. This approach aligns with international trends: the United Kingdom, through the UKGC and ASA codes, tightened creative supervision and targeting; Spain limited gambling advertising to specific time slots and channels; the KSA in the Netherlands intensified actions against affiliates and irregular sponsorships; and Italy imposed severe restrictions on commercial communications. In all cases, regulators converge on the requirement that digital distribution avoid directing traffic to operators without permission, and that major platforms actively participate in mitigation.
For the iGaming industry, stricter enforcement against illicit links will reshape the performance marketing chain, from affiliate networks to media agencies and operators themselves. It is expected that the use of whitelists of authorized domains, landing page verification, risk taxonomies, and machine learning models trained to detect redirection and cloaking patterns will intensify. Cooperation with big tech may also result in transparency reports, “trusted flagger” channels for authorities, and accelerated response protocols when “illegal advertising links” are identified. Competitively, those already investing in compliance and campaign traceability could gain sustainable advantages, while brand exposure to non-compliant inventory will increase the risk of de-indexing, suspension of advertising accounts, and potential regulatory measures.
Looking ahead, the sector anticipates framework agreements among operators, industry associations, and digital platforms to standardize verification criteria, as well as integrate real-time regulatory signals to validate licenses before each ad is published. The idea of public lists of domains authorized by the regulator and continuous audit systems cross-referencing geolocation, age, and target jurisdiction data is also gaining traction. As the sports calendar drives peaks in advertising investment, more intense monitoring is expected over links, shorteners, and intermediary pages that may conceal unauthorized destinations. Overall, the combination of reinforced compliance, moderation technology, and inter-institutional coordination will be decisive in reducing the circulation of illegal advertising links and consolidating a safer and more competitive online betting market.
Tags: Brazil, iGaming Brasil, Meta Ads, sports betting advertising, online casino advertising, betting advertising restrictions