Unlawful Promotion of Betting in France: Gambling Regulator Issues Alerts Regarding Illicit Advertisements on Facebook from Underground Vendors
In France, the National Gaming Authority (ANJ), the nation's gambling regulatory body, has flagged misleading ads promoting illicit gambling platforms. Over 400 such deceitful ads have been uncovered on Facebook.
Fraudsters employ a tactic of utilizing the logos, images, and brand names of legitimate land-based gambling establishments to instill trust, according to information posted on the ANJ's official site.
Clicking on the provided link, however, does not direct users to the authorized gambling offers as expected, but rather to unauthorized websites. The ANJ has reported these misleading links to Facebook, leading to the banning of 137 user profiles.
These ads are not the regulated and frequently monitored Facebook ads, but rather mass postings from individual Facebook accounts.
ANJ Encourages Players to Take Action
The ANJ has set up a dedicated section on its website to report unlawful gambling providers. Users can also directly report suspicious links to Facebook.
The ANJ maintains a blacklist of banned providers, although it's not exhaustive. Players are advised to verify licensed providers on a whitelist before registering on a platform.
According to French law, all types of online casino offers are illegal, with the exception of sport betting offered by licensed providers.
Scam Has Prevaled in the Past
In the German-speaking region, just like in France, fraudsters have exploited the reputation of reputable casinos to advertise illegal providers. For instance, the Casino Velden in Austria succumbed to a similar scam.
Identifying the individuals behind these scams is often challenging, as they typically operate through fabricated accounts or hacked accounts of unsuspecting individuals.
This scam isn't peculiar to the gambling industry and has been perpetrated through forums and social networks for several years. Deceptive emails, purportedly sent from friends, are also used by fraudsters for their nefarious purposes.
Gambling Experts Question Ad Ban
There's been ongoing debate at an international level about whether gambling advertisements should be banned all together. Experts, however, contend that a comprehensive ban on gambling advertisements is not practical, as it would hinder the informative work aimed at educating players about the legitimacy of certain offers.
For example, in Austria, there is only one legit online casino provider, win2day. Familiarizing players with this knowledge, disseminated through advertising, aids in identifying illicit offers.
The ANJ urges users to report unlawful gambling providers directly on their website or to Facebook, as these misleading ads about illicit platforms continue to emerge. Despite the ANJ maintaining a blacklist, players are encouraged to verify licensed providers on a whitelist before registering.
News of this scam has spread beyond France, with similar incidents occurring in the German-speaking region, such as the deception of the Casino Velden in Austria.
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