[90591] Wave of illegal gambling site advertisements on Telegram surrounding World Cup matches

Rise in promotion of online gambling sites on Telegram

On June 19, 2026, a significant wave of messages promoted across various Telegram channels was observed, aimed at directing users to online gambling and casino sites. The campaigns focus on leveraging global sporting events, primarily the World Cup, to attract a new target audience through promises of financial bonuses and perks.

Derby Bet and MelBet sites at the center of advertising

The channels جام جهانی فوتبال Sport Bad News, Soccer IRAN | نت ملی, اخبار ورزشی فوتبال لیگ برتر سه, and BAD SPORTZ are extensively promoting the 'Derby Bet' site. According to the Sport Bad News channel post, the site offers a "100% bonus on the first deposit" and claims to operate under an "Anjuan license and certification." These entities present an aggressive marketing stance, highlighting deposit options in cryptocurrencies and local bank cards.

Simultaneously, the content and humor channel Majalleyfuni and the knife 🔪 vpn channel are promoting the 'MelBet' platform. These channels present the brand as an "official sponsor of the Spanish League" (according to knife 🔪 vpn) and offer a "$100 gift code." The channels emphasize that their applications can be accessed "without the need for a VPN" (website filter), implying an attempt to bypass technological blocks on gambling content.

Reward systems and loyalty clubs

In addition to sign-up offers, advertisements appear regarding loyalty mechanisms on sites like 'BetGo'. As reported in اخبار ورزشی فوتبال لیگ برتر سه, the site operates a "loyalty reward system" that grants points (XP) based on the user's betting volume, with promises of cash prizes reaching up to "8 billion Rials."

It is important to note that all the reported channels operate as marketing platforms targeted at Persian-speaking users, where channels reported as "sports channels" actually serve as affiliate marketing platforms for gambling sites that are not supervised under clear local regulation.