More than 4 million Thai Gen Z users drawn into online gambling
Police say more than 4 million Thai Gen Z users have entered the online gambling cycle, as hidden ads and influencer content draw in new gamblers.
- Over 4 million Thai Gen Z individuals, aged 15 to 25, had engaged in online gambling by early 2026, with many being new gamblers.
- Gambling platforms are targeting this demographic through hidden advertising using influencers, live broadcasts, and short-form videos, often preying on those with economic difficulties.
- In response, Thai authorities have blocked over 717,000 gambling-related URLs, are arresting influencers who promote gambling, and are intensifying crackdowns, particularly around major sporting events.
- The gambling networks have evolved to use sophisticated methods like cryptocurrency and cross-border accounts to move money, making them harder to trace.
More than 4 million Thai Gen Z users, aged 15 to 25, had entered the online gambling cycle by early 2026, with a large number identified as new gamblers, according to statistics and analysis by the Information Technology Crime Suppression Centre.
Police found that online gambling platforms had shifted towards hidden advertising through influencers, live broadcasts and short-form videos to attract people facing economic hardship and persuade them to seek quick wealth through gambling.
Authorities warned that such platforms were traps that often caused victims to lose large sums of money.
Online gambling networks have also evolved beyond traditional mule accounts, using juristic-person accounts, PayPal, cross-border intermediary accounts and cryptocurrency to move money.
Police block more than 717,000 URLs
Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwphan, deputy inspector-general and deputy director of the Information Technology Crime Suppression Centre, said police units had continuously taken action against people involved in the online gambling ecosystem.
The operations included arrests of influencers who promoted or encouraged all forms of online gambling.
From October 1, 2025, to May 20, 2026, the Royal Thai Police and related agencies blocked a total of 717,425 URLs across websites and social media platforms, including Facebook, Line and TikTok. Investigations and blocking operations are continuing intensively.
The Information Technology Crime Suppression Centre is also pressing ahead with operations against online gambling networks that continue to defy the law.
Between May and June, the centre targeted 309 online gambling websites based on investigative data. Police will expand their inquiries into the wider networks, with some arrest warrants already issued and some suspects arrested.
Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet, the national police chief, has instructed the centre to monitor and prevent young people from becoming involved in online gambling, especially during the World Cup in June 2026. He also ordered a tougher crackdown on all forms of online football betting.
Police are investigating and are ready to block websites and social media accounts linked to online football betting across all platforms, Trairong added. Artificial intelligence is being used to help detect such activity, allowing faster and more accurate interception.
Trairong also warned people against joining this ecosystem, urging them to stop promoting gambling, posting links or creating content that encourages gambling. Those who continue to do so will face strict legal action, he warned.
Parents urged to watch for warning signs
The Rajanukul Institute, under the Department of Mental Health at the Ministry of Public Health, has previously advised parents to watch for signs that their children may be addicted to gambling.
The institute noted that gambling addiction is considered a mental health disorder under diagnostic criteria used in the American psychiatric system.
Warning signs may include lying, borrowing money, skipping school, falling grades, spending more time alone, increasing isolation and conflicts with parents or friends.
Emotional signs may include mood swings. Children may appear happy, cheerful and excited when they win, but withdrawn, sad or isolated when they lose.
In terms of thinking patterns, children may believe they will always win, gamble to escape problems, or fail to realise that gambling itself is causing their difficulties. They may think they can stop at any time, but eventually lose control and return to gambling.
Parents are advised to protect children from online gambling by controlling website access, preventing children from using their credit cards and regularly checking payment slips.
They should also place computers in shared family areas, talk openly with their children about gambling, and set clear rules on internet use.
