The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry has blocked more than 13,000 online gambling links and websites during the first 18 days of the 2026 World Cup campaign as part of an intensified crackdown on illegal betting.
Nan Boonthida Somchai, DES deputy minister, said the ministry had stepped up monitoring and enforcement following instructions from Minister Chaichanok Chidchob to combat online crime and illegal gambling during the tournament.
Between June 1 and June 18, the ministry blocked 13,888 social media pages, websites and URLs linked to online gambling under court orders and through cooperation with digital platforms.
Ms Nan said authorities were using artificial intelligence to detect and analyse gambling-related websites and social media networks, enabling faster identification and blocking of illegal content.
She warned the public against sharing, promoting or distributing gambling-related content on digital platforms, as such actions could violate Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act, even if done unknowingly.
