In rural parts of Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, TikTok has emerged as a new promotional tool for illegal gambling. Influencers post videos showing large cashouts, fake screenshots, and luxury lifestyles, encouraging viewers to join betting apps through affiliate links.
Many of these accounts are fake or created by syndicates. Young users fall for the scheme, deposit money into gambling apps, and lose significant amounts without any winnings. Some even borrow from family or local lenders.
Digital rights groups are calling for social media companies to improve moderation of gambling content. TikTok has pledged to investigate but enforcement remains inconsistent.
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