Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) blocked 673,699 gambling-related URLs and online pages between 1 October 2025 and 31 May 2026, including 635,717 under court orders and 37,982 removed in cooperation with digital platforms. This comes as Thailand steps up its crackdown on illegal online gambling ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, as authorities seek to curb a potential surge in football betting.
In May alone, authorities took down 78,796 links, with 68,571 ordered by courts and 10,225 removed through platform partnerships. The DES said it has expanded monitoring and enforcement efforts in the lead-up to the tournament, targeting hundreds of thousands of gambling-related websites, URLs and social media pages tied to illegal betting operations.
Deputy Government Spokeswoman Ploythalay Laksameesaengjan, as reported by Thai PBS, said the government has intensified surveillance and website-blocking measures amid concerns that the World Cup could drive increased online gambling activity.
Thailand blocks hundreds of thousands of gambling links
The findings come as Thai police intensify enforcement efforts against illegal online gambling networks, particularly ahead of the FIFA World Cup in June 2026. Thai police blocked over 717,000 gambling-related URLs between October 2025 and 20 May 2026. This effort is part of a campaign focused on football betting websites, social media channels, and gambling networks.
The operation was ordered by National Police Chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch and includes investigations, arrests and the disruption of platforms linked to illegal gambling activities. Authorities have also identified hundreds of gambling websites as priority enforcement targets in the weeks surrounding the tournament.
FIFA World Cup 2026 prompts increased action against football betting
Officials say special focus is on football betting, which usually rises sharply during major international sporting events. The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau has been told to improve preventative measures and watch online betting activity during the competition.
Authorities are concerned that illegal gambling operators may use the popularity of the World Cup to attract new users and expand betting activity across online platforms.
More than 4M Gen Z users linked to online gambling
This comes amid concerns of growing gambling participation among younger users in Thailand. More than 4 million Thai Gen Z users aged between 15 and 25 were involved in online gambling by early 2026, according to data from Thailand’s Information Technology Crime Suppression Centre (ITCSC).
Authorities said many of those entering online gambling platforms were first-time users, with operators increasingly relying on influencers, livestreams and short-form video content to attract younger audiences.
Police have warned that gambling networks are promoting betting as a quick route to financial gain, despite the significant financial risks involved.
Thai authorities target gambling networks and payment channels
Investigators are also examining the wider networks that support illegal gambling operations. Authorities say operators are increasingly using complex payment channels, including corporate accounts, cross-border intermediaries and cryptocurrency transactions. Officials believe disrupting these financial networks is essential to limiting the growth of illegal online gambling and reducing the profits generated by betting syndicates.
Authorities Blocks 673,699 Gambling URLs in Eight Months Ahead of World Cup 2026
— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) June 5, 2026
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) has blocked more than 673,000 URLs linked to illegal online gambling during the first eight months of fiscal year 2026, as authorities step up… pic.twitter.com/O2EYl9mDvm
The growing use of complex payment channels has made tracking transactions connected to illegal gambling operations more challenging. As part of larger initiatives to destroy gambling syndicates and impede the flow of money associated with betting activities, investigators are still looking into these payment networks.
The crackdown includes digital monitoring, investigations, arrests and the blocking of gambling-related platforms. Police are also targeting gambling websites, social media channels and financial networks as part of the ongoing operation.
Asian countries on alert
Other Asian countries, like Malaysia has intensified monitoring of websites, social media platforms and online services that may be used to facilitate or promote illegal gambling activities during the FIFA World Cup 2026. According to Malaysian media, major international sporting events often lead to increased promotional activity by illegal gambling operators seeking to attract users to unlicensed betting services.
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