Regulators Warn of Rising Gambling Ads in Digital News Networks

30 September 2026

Regulatory bodies across the globe are increasingly concerned about the growing prevalence of gambling advertisements in digital news networks. In recent warnings, officials say unlicensed gambling operators are finding new avenues to reach consumers, often by piggybacking on legitimate news and media content.

The latest regulatory advice comes from Norway's Lottery Authority (Lotteritilsynet), which in May 2024 warned media outlets against publishing or indirectly promoting illegal gambling operators. The advisory specifically cited the risks of embedding odds or links from unlicensed gambling sites within news articles.

"Media organizations could face penalties if they knowingly or unintentionally facilitate ads from illegal gambling operators," the Lotteritilsynet statement reads. The regulator also highlighted programmatic advertising as a key compliance risk, noting that the automated nature of these ad buys can inadvertently place illegal gambling ads on Norwegian websites.

Across the globe in India, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) also recently cautioned digital publishers, OTT platforms, and TV channels to avoid online betting ads. In a September 2023 advisory, the MIB warned that offshore betting platforms were using "news as surrogate advertising" to circumvent Indian law.

The All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) has been sounding the alarm about these risks since 2018, according to a Bharat Times report. "Surrogate advertising" refers to the practice of promoting gambling indirectly, for instance through sports coverage, that then links to betting sites.

While these warnings may still leave room for sidestepping restrictions, evidence suggests illegal gambling marketing has infiltrated traditional media networks. A 2023 analysis by the Washington Post found gambling references or promotions happening, on average, every four minutes of televised sports.

That figure is even higher when looking at social media, websites, and digital advertising - the "third screen" where regulators have warned gambling ads increasingly appear. One report by the Guardian showed gambling-branded messaging appearing as often as every 13 seconds in streams covering major US sports.

If the risk looks binary - either run the ads or avoid the penalties - experts say the truth lies in the gray area. Regulated gambling operators recognize the value of digital publishing and ad networks in driving conversions, while publishers see the growing revenue potential of gambling ads in an otherwise challenging market.

More on this is available via the team at Gambling-World.org.

The agendas may align, but the path is riddled with risk.

Edvard, analytics director at Swedish iGaming platform Inspired Entertainment, says the influx of gambling ads has made illegality harder to detect. "Ad fraud, fraudulent sites and fake identities are more common," says Edvard. "Licensed gambling companies are not immune to this additional scrutiny, either. Many have policies in place, such as age verification, to prevent minors from accessing their products. But even they're now facing regulatory scrutiny in countries where such scrutiny was previously more lenient."

Academic research also highlights the challenge of meeting compliance, such as underage-gambling prevention, in digital media. A 2015 study published in the journal Addiction Research & Theory found that licensed gambling companies find it easier to understand and monitor in-person gamblers than those placing wagers online.

Digital-first gamblers are "less likely" to engage in self-screening activities, such as limiting the size of their bets or checking their gambling frequency, the study found. The researchers proposed more sophisticated age-identification protocols and "limit-making tools" for regulated gambling sites, while noting all these controls rely on the honesty of the user.

The precautionary tone from regulators, meanwhile, suggests that honesty won't be enough to allay their concerns. Recent MIB guidance said publishers could "invite penal action" if they don't take additional steps to avoid publishing illegal gambling content.

One financial executive tied to several international poker leagues suggested governments are "going a step too far" if they prioritize minor scrutiny over the overall health of gambling ecosystems. But the regulator's perspective, inspired Entertainment's Edvard argues, is increasingly centralized.

"The MIB took an arguably strong stance, but they didn't clearly lay out how publishers and platforms can avoid these online gambling ads," says Edvard. "The advertising industry should perhaps prioritise audience safety over all other considerations, including revenue. From a publisher's perspective, having clear guidelines for safe and accurate gambling advertising will help everyone avoid the risks associated with promoting illegal gambling."

The details and consequences of those guidelines - from how ads can be labeled to the full scope of disciplinary measures to the approaches taken by regulators and gaming networks - will form an important area of research in the years to come.