DE has intensified its crackdown on online gambling during FIFA World Cup 2026, blocking more than 13,000 gambling-related URLs within just 18 days.
Ms.Nan Boontida Somchai, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy and Society, revealed that Mr.Chaichanok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, has directed authorities to strengthen measures against threats to national security and social well-being by intensifying efforts to combat online crime and block illegal social media accounts, pages, websites, and URLs, particularly those related to online gambling.
The policy is also in line with instructions from Mr.Anutin Charnvirakul, who has tasked the DE Ministry with working closely with relevant agencies to prevent and suppress online gambling activities.
Most recently, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) has continued blocking social media accounts, pages, and URLs linked to illegal gambling under court orders while coordinating with online platforms to remove such content.
During the FIFA World Cup 2026 period, from 1–18 June 2026, the ministry blocked a total of 13,888 gambling-related social media accounts, pages, websites, and URLs.
“The DE Ministry has integrated efforts with relevant agencies and coordinated closely with digital platforms to immediately block URLs related to online gambling whenever violations are detected. Following the instructions of Minister Chaichanok, authorities have intensified monitoring and enforcement measures. Over the past 18 days alone, more than 13,000 gambling-related URLs have already been blocked,” said Ms.Nan.
She added that the ministry is using AI technology to detect and analyze websites and social media platforms associated with online gambling activities.
The Deputy Minister also warned the public to exercise caution when sharing content that may violate the law on digital platforms and social media, particularly content related to gambling websites and online scams. Even unintentionally sharing such content could be considered a violation of Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act.