Meta accused of ignoring Instagram influencer complaints
An investigation by The Guardian reveals that the platform refused to remove content from the influencer "Dinah," who directed her 800,000 followers to the unauthorized site Rainbet. The lack of specific tools to report illegal gambling on the app facilitates impunity.
Content moderation on social networks once again clashes head-on with gambling laws. An investigation published by the British media outlet The Guardian has exposed the passivity of Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) when it comes to stopping the promotion of illegal betting operators, even when users actively report violations.
The test case is that of the streamer known as Dinah, a content creator with more than 800,000 followers on Instagram. Despite Australia's strict laws prohibiting advertising for unlicensed online casinos, the influencer systematically promoted Rainbet, a cryptocurrency betting platform operating outside local regulation.
"It does not violate our rules"
The most alarming aspect for the regulated industry is not the violation itself, but the response from the tech platform. According to the investigation, more than ten posts were identified in January where Dinah encouraged her audience to register through direct links, promising quick financial benefits.
When alerted by users through the app's reporting tools, Meta's response was automated and frustrating: the company decided not to take drastic measures, arguing that the posts did not violate their "community standards on fraud or scams." At best, they limited visibility to minors but allowed the content to remain accessible to the adult public, implicitly validating the promotion of a crime.
A system blind to illegal gambling
The problem appears to be structural. The investigation highlights a critical gap in Instagram's user interface: the reporting system lacks a specific category to report "illegal gambling" or "promotion of unauthorized casinos." This forces complainants to categorize the content as "fraud" or "scam," labels that Meta moderators often dismiss if the post does not fit their technical definition of those terms.
While Meta shields itself behind its internal policies, Australian regulators reminded that the law is clear and severe: promoting illegal gambling services can result in fines of up to US$ 2.4 million for individuals who lend their image to it.
This case in Australia is a mirror of what happens in markets like Latin America and Europe, where the legal sector competes at a disadvantage against gray market operators who use the "free zone" of social networks to attract players without any kind of filter.
Tags: United Kingdom, UK, Meta Ads, META betting advertising