Gambling ads reach Indonesia's Meta users via marketing ploy

Gambling promoters are using deceptive marketing tactics to reach Indonesian users across Meta platforms, despite the company's policies and a government crackdown on the practice.

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Online and offline gambling and publicising it is outlawed in the country, but billions of dollars still flow through the sector each year.

An AFP investigation found dozens of paid gambling advertisements disguised as innocuous content to circumvent the ban on such promotions in Indonesia.

Meta could potentially face government sanctions if it does not address the violations.

The posts on Facebook, Instagram and Threads appear to promote video games or treatments for conditions such as diabetes. But they redirect users to betting websites.

"It has become really disturbing," said Zee, a 32-year-old Indonesian gamer who encountered the ads on Instagram. "I suspect their target is people who like playing games, therefore children can also see such advertisements," said Zee, who did not provide her real name due to privacy concerns.

Meta did not respond to requests for comment, but nearly two dozen ads that AFP shared as a sample were later removed.