Placing a bet has never been this easy, and that’s the problem. The convenience of online gambling is the same thing scammers are cashing in on. Whether it’s a fake app, a “can’t-miss” tipster, or a rigged casino, the game is stacked against you.
By 2030, the online gambling market is projected to reach around $169 billion. 22 percent of Americans, including 48 percent of men ages 18 to 49, have an account with at least one online sportsbook.
With so many people willing to gamble, criminals see an easy chance to run scams. The most at risk are new players still learning how these platforms work, people with gambling problems, and those struggling with money who hope for a win that will fix everything. Younger users are also being targeted, often through ads on social media.
Fake gambling sites multiply with AI’s help
One common scam uses fake gaming sites that promise free credits and big prizes. These sites often appear on social media and borrow influencer names to look trustworthy. After people sign up, they’re asked to make a small cryptocurrency payment to verify their account, then the site disappears with the money. Security researchers have linked more than a thousand of these sites to the same group.
Group-IB uncovered another large network built around fake gambling sites and false ads. The investigation found over 1,300 malicious domains and more than 500 ads across several regions. Scammers used AI-generated voices in different languages to make the ads sound local and trick users into downloading fake apps that promised easy money in seconds before stealing their data and funds.
Blocking one site doesn’t stop the scam. Some gambling companies use mirror sites, copies of their betting websites, to stay online after regulators block the original page. When one domain is banned, another appears with the same name and design. This tactic helps unlicensed operators keep reaching players through ads and search results while avoiding oversight.
In the future, we can expect a flood of AI-generated content, especially in the form of deepfakes.
A Sky News journalist discovered a deepfake video that used her image and voice to promote an illegal casino app called Heavenly Sphere. The app appeared harmless on the App Store but secretly led users to unlicensed gambling sites with no safety checks. After the report, regulators ordered the apps removed and warned people to be cautious of fake betting platforms that hide behind trusted names.
Sure tips on social media
Social media is packed with accounts that promise sure tips for sports results. They often post photos of supposed winning tickets or screenshots from phones showing big wins. The only sure thing about them is that they’re a scam.
The goal is to get someone to pay for the so-called tip or a guaranteed winning strategy. The moment a person sends money, it’s gone, no matter how the bet turns out. Even if there are promises of a refund, that money will never come back.
Data breaches hit betting operators
Up to 800,000 Paddy Power and Betfair customers were affected by a data breach at Flutter Entertainment. Exposed information included email addresses, IP addresses, and online activity data, but no passwords, ID documents, or payment details were compromised.
In early 2025, the Luxembourg National Lottery reported that its sports-betting system was hacked through a subcontractor. Personal and betting data were exposed, but no payment details were confirmed stolen.
Maybe the most famous attack in the gambling and entertainment industry was the MGM cyber attack. Cybercriminals broke into the company’s network and caused days of outages. Hotel check-ins, casino machines, and online services stopped working. Some customer data was also taken. The attack showed that no one is safe from a successful attack, regardless of a company’s size or power.
Criminals target betting operators for their mix of personal, financial, and behavioral data, which can be resold, used for account takeovers, or fed into AI-driven phishing scams. Experts warn that stolen data could be used to target customers with convincing personal emails.
Gambling sites feed user data to Meta
But it’s not only criminal groups that are interested in our data. An investigation by The Observer found that dozens of UK gambling companies have been sending user data to Meta through hidden tracking tools without consent.
The Meta Pixel code, embedded on gambling websites, automatically shared information such as pages viewed and buttons clicked, even before visitors agreed to any cookies or marketing terms.
Out of 150 gambling sites tested, 52 were found sharing data unlawfully. This data allowed Meta to profile users as gamblers and target them with ads for casinos and betting offers.
The game never ends
Gambling will keep attracting people who want quick money or a bit of excitement. In that search, many will risk more than they expect. The industry will make billions, and scammers will keep finding ways to take their share. As long as people want to win, there will be others ready to take advantage.