The rapid growth of U.S. online sports betting has driven a surge in social media gambling ads. This study examines 1,663 social media ads from FanDuel, ESPN Bet, DraftKings, and BetMGM over one week in 2024. Of these, 81% were organic, with 52% using content marketing – entertaining, shareable content without explicit gambling references. While all paid-for ads complied with AGA standards, only 25% of organic ads met these guidelines, suggesting over 1,000 potential AGA code breaches. The findings highlight regulatory gaps in self-regulation, emphasizing the need for stricter oversight to address evolving risks in gambling advertising on social media platforms.
