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California: Meta sued over alleged illegal sports betting ads

June 22, 2026 · 2:12pm ET | 11:12am PT
Photo: Shutterstock
  • Ziv Chen, COMPLETE iGAMING

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.

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.