Tesco has reported to City of London police an apparent coordinated campaign by unauthorized gambling operations to exploit the brand recognition of major corporations and sports figures. The supermarket discovered a fraudulent “Tesco casino” advertised on Meta platforms that falsely claimed affiliation with the retail chain, complete with a website styling itself as the official Tesco gambling service. The fake operation leveraged Tesco’s established market position and 100-year history to lend credibility despite lacking any legal license to provide gambling services in Great Britain.
The scam targeting Tesco is part of a broader pattern affecting numerous well-known entities. Financial services firms including Barclays and Monzo, as well as legitimate gambling operators like Coral and Gala Bingo, have similarly had their identities misused. Athletes including Lewis Hamilton, Tyson Fury, Jude Bellingham, Bruno Fernandes, and Erling Haaland have been named or depicted in unauthorized casino advertisements, with Fury publicly denouncing the practice and Haaland’s image apparently replaced by a lookalike in promotional materials.
Meta acknowledged taking down specific ads following inquiries but maintains that advertisers—not the platform—bear responsibility for regulatory compliance. Industry figures argue this stance is inadequate, with the managing director of Entain suggesting that technology companies continue profiting from hosting such advertisements while unlicensed operators avoid taxes and exploit British consumers. The Gambling Commission and Advertising Standards Authority have acknowledged the problem but reportedly achieved limited success in preventing ads’ distribution.
Many of the unauthorized casinos claim licensing from Curacao, a Caribbean jurisdiction recognized as a hub for gambling operations lacking licenses in major markets. When offering services to British consumers, these operations violate UK law. The Gambling Commission indicated it expects enhanced enforcement capabilities beginning later this year following implementation of crime and policing bill provisions, though addressing unauthorized intellectual property use remains outside its direct purview.
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