Thailand – The Stop Gambling Foundation and Dentsu Creative Thailand have joined forces to launch an initiative that turns the tactics of gambling ads against themselves to expose the risks of online gambling and protect Thai youth from addiction.
The “Tit for Tat: Stop Online Gambling” campaign repurposed gambling ads, altering their content to highlight the risks instead of promoting gambling. Designed to resemble typical gambling promotions, the ads ultimately revealed real stories of young people affected by gambling addiction.
Dentsu Creative Thailand developed the campaign’s strategy, using the same tactics as gambling ads to raise awareness of their risks. The ads were placed on TikTok, a key platform for Thai youth, to maximise visibility.
The campaign responds to the growing crisis in Thailand, where, despite being illegal, online gambling draws over three million children—one-third of all youth—into debt and crime each year. Gambling sites exploit social media ads to target vulnerable youth, bypassing efforts to block them.
Using the same digital strategies as gambling websites, Dentsu Creative Thailand aimed to counter deceptive online gambling ads, raising awareness among Thai youth and encouraging informed decisions.