Meta Loosened Moderation of China-Linked Casino Ads to Protect Revenue — Reuters

^{Mark Zuckerberg}

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, systematically allowed fraudulent advertising originating from China in order to avoid losing part of its multibillion-dollar revenue, Reuters reports. Despite Meta’s platforms being blocked in China, Chinese companies were able to place ads targeting users worldwide, including content linked to gambling, scams and banned products.

According to internal Meta documents obtained by Reuters, around 19% of the company’s advertising revenue from China in 2024 — roughly $3 billion — came from ads associated with fraud, including illegal online casinos and betting operations.

A screenshot of internal Meta materials cited by Reuters indicates that certain control mechanisms effectively made it easier for illegal ads to be placed

After a temporary tightening of oversight in 2024, the share of prohibited advertising nearly halved. However, by mid-2025 it had risen again to about 16%.

This increase followed the disbanding of a dedicated anti-fraud team.

Meanwhile, the website of Yinolink, one of Meta’s official advertising partners in China, promises advertisers an “80% lower risk of account suspension compared with other agents”

Reuters also describes how one of its journalists was able to launch overtly fraudulent ads using Meta partners, gaining access to privileged advertising accounts. Shortly before publication, Meta removed its public partner directory and launched a review of the agencies involved.

Meta has said it is actively combating fraud, blocking and removing millions of policy-violating ads, and cooperating with law enforcement. At the same time, the company acknowledges that China-linked advertising remains difficult to police due to a vast network of intermediaries and the specific nature of gambling-related content distribution.