Australia –TikTok now allows online gambling company Sportsbet to advertise to its Australian users over the age of 21. Despite its advertising policy prohibiting any gambling-related content, TikTok is now breaking its own rules by allowing sports betting that has obtained permission from TikTok via an application process to be promoted on its platform.
According to a report by ABC, TikTok stated that the ads were only shown to users over the age of 21, but experts said this would be hard to regulate. TikTok also stated that the recurrence of the advertisements would be limited and that an “opt-out feature” would be implemented.
Even with a ‘strictly controlled advertising pilot’, as a Tiktok spokesperson stated, young people will undoubtedly see the advertisements and viral videos created about joining the races.
According to Tiktok’s guidelines, ‘TikTok defines a minor as any person under the age of 18.’ However, Sportsbet will be advertised to users over the age of 21. Although TikTok has a great mechanism for guaranteeing filtered content for its users, it is simple to modify your birthdate to appear older when creating an account for the platform.
TikTok also stated that it employs a variety of methods, including a safety moderation team that monitors accounts where users are suspected of lying about their age. In Australia, the minimum user age is 13, with accounts under 16 barred from direct messaging, hosting live streams, or appearing in the For You feed.
According to the TikTok Guardian’s Guide, ‘if someone tries to create an account but does not meet our minimum age requirement, we suspend their ability to create another account using a different date of birth.’
