A fake casino using Tesco’s branding was promoted on Facebook and Instagram before the supermarket referred the case to police and cybercrime authorities. The incident highlights the gap between removing an online advert and shutting down an unlicensed gambling operation.

The website described itself as “the official Tesco casino”, according to an investigation published by The Guardian on 13 September 2026. It claimed to be backed by Tesco but did not hold a licence to provide gambling services in Great Britain.

Removing an advert can cut one route to an illegal gambling site. It does not automatically close the website, identify its operators or protect people who may already have shared money or personal data.

Meta removed the adverts

Meta removed the Facebook and Instagram adverts after The Guardian contacted the company. The linked website remained accessible in Great Britain during checks reported by the newspaper.

Tesco referred its concerns to the National Cyber Security Centre and Report Fraud, the service operated by the City of London Police. The force confirmed that it had received the report but had not referred it for investigation when The Guardian published its report.

The case draws a clear line between a platform response and a regulatory outcome. Removing an advert may stop one route to the site. It does not automatically close the website, identify its operators, recover customer funds or prevent the same business from returning under another name.

What the Great Britain licence rule means

The Gambling Commission requires businesses that provide remote gambling to consumers in Great Britain, or advertise those services to them, to hold an operating licence. Great Britain covers England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland operates under a separate legal framework.

A licence brings an operator into a system covering suitability checks, operating controls and social responsibility requirements. An unlicensed site sits outside those protections.

For consumers, the practical risks can include weaker or absent safeguards involving:

  • Age checks and identity verification
  • Self-exclusion
  • Complaints and dispute handling
  • Suspicious transactions and the handling of customer funds

The Gambling Commission said illegal gambling linked to trusted brands creates a particular risk because consumers may mistake an unauthorised service for a legitimate business. The regulator also said it was working with the Advertising Standards Authority on the issue.

Why the pressure extends beyond Tesco

The fake Tesco operation was part of a wider pattern described in The Guardian’s report. Other household brands and sports personalities, including Barclays, Monzo, Lewis Hamilton, Tyson Fury, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland, were used in material linked to casinos that were not authorised to target British consumers.

Legitimate gambling companies face a separate risk. Illegal operators can copy their brands while licensed businesses continue to pay taxes, meet regulatory conditions and fund compliance systems.

Entain, which owns Coral and Gala Bingo, said the activity harmed both British consumers and licensed businesses.

Ofcom’s proposed fraud rules add pressure

The incident comes as Ofcom consults on proposed measures for fraudulent advertising under the Online Safety Act 2023. The consultation, published on 10 July 2026, covers paid-for adverts on major online services and is scheduled to close on 2 October 2026.

The proposals are not final rules. Ofcom has said platforms should improve systems for detecting scam adverts, make reporting easier and take stronger action against accounts used to distribute fraudulent material.

The regulator has also said platforms do not need to wait for new measures before increasing investment in fraud prevention.

The Advertising Standards Authority has separately warned that illegal gambling advertising creates risks because it operates outside the regulated system. The ASA says it contributes intelligence to the Gambling Commission and works with major online platforms to identify and remove such advertising.

The enforcement test

The Tesco case leaves three practical questions for regulators and platforms:

  • How quickly can an advert be removed after a complaint?
  • Can the linked gambling website be blocked or disrupted?
  • Can investigators identify the advertisers and protect people who have already supplied money or personal data?

The central enforcement challenge is that a fake operator can borrow the credibility of a trusted British brand, reach users through a major platform and remain visible online after an advert has been removed.