A Japan fan reacts at Shibuya Crossing after watching a World Cup 2026 match on Friday. The DES Ministry is working to curb illegal streaming and online gambling platforms during the tournament.
The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry has stepped up efforts to combat illegal streaming and online gambling platforms during the World Cup, forging closer cooperation with rights holder Monomax to accelerate the removal of infringing content and illicit websites.DES deputy minister Nan Boonthida Somchai met with Navamin Prasopnet, chief executive of Mono Next Plc, to discuss measures aimed at tackling websites and digital platforms involved in unauthorised broadcasts of World Cup matches, as well as online gambling operations that exploit the tournament's popularity.
The move reflects the government's broader campaign against cybercrime, intellectual property (IP) violations and illegal online betting, which authorities say tend to surge during major sporting events.
According to Ms Nan, the ministry's Illegal Website Monitoring Centre blocked 12,671 URLs linked to copyright infringement and online gambling between June 10-24.
Of the total, 4,496 URLs were blocked under court orders, while another 8,175 URLs were removed through cooperation with major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
