Meta is facing a lawsuit in California that alleges its social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, unlawfully displayed sports betting advertisements to users in the state, where online sports betting is illegal.
The complaint was filed in Sacramento County Superior Court by Joseph Allen against Meta and several other defendants who have yet to be identified.
The lawsuit claims that Meta’s algorithms identified the plaintiff’s interest in sportsbooks and subsequently displayed paid advertisements for sports betting services.
According to the filing, Allen searched online in April for information about the legality of sportsbooks in California after the introduction of a state law that bans the advertising, promotion, or facilitation of illegal gambling activities.
He alleges that shortly after concluding the search, he began seeing paid advertisements for sports betting operators on Instagram.
The lawsuit claims that Meta’s advertising technology processed information related to the private search query and used it to deliver "illegal gambling advertisements.”
Allen argues that this demonstrates knowledge of California’s legal restrictions and a failure to prevent the promotion of unlawful gambling services.
He also claims that a sportsbook advertisement he accessed in 2025 led to malware being installed on his computer, resulting in a financial loss of US$975.
https://completeigaming.com/meta-sued-over-alleged-illegal-sports-betting-ads-in-california/