TikTok bans promotion of gambling products

Global social media giant TikTok has reaffirmed that promoting gambling products on TikTok Shop is strictly prohibited. The announcement came amid increased scrutiny of gambling promotion on social media platforms. Operators, industry organizations and national regulators are particularly focused on illegal gambling.

TikTok's policy does not distinguish between legal and illegal gambling. The platform reminded both sellers and content creators that promoting any form of gambling through its e-commerce channel is prohibited. Within this scope, the sale or promotion of betting, lotteries, roulette, slots and claw machines is also banned.

Gambling activities are also prohibited in live streams and videos. This rule applies even if the person broadcasting does not interact directly with viewers. According to Forbes, as of 2026, 5.9 billion people worldwide use some form of social media, which amounts to more than two-thirds of the world's population.

It is natural for gambling companies to want to market on social media. Gambling ads can easily be found on Facebook and X. However, regulated platforms are subject to their own policies, such as Meta's gambling ad bans that comply with local regulations in some countries. On TikTok, advertising gambling is much harder because its audience is predominantly made up of teens and young adults. Paddy Power opened a TikTok account last year, but instead of typical ads, it uses content marketing such as sketches, short games and shows.