Test: AI chatbots pointed to illegal gambling sites

Popular AI chatbots can lead users to illegal online casinos. That is according to an investigation by the journalism network Investigate Europe, published in March 2026 together with The Guardian and the Portuguese newspaper Público, among others.

Note: The headline we were given mentions 10 chatbots. We could not find support for that figure. The investigation tested seven chatbots in 10 European countries, and those are the figures in this article.

What was tested

The journalists tested Meta AI, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Claude and Mistral's Le Chat. They asked questions in each country's language and focused on gambling for money.

In about three out of four answers, the chatbots recommended gambling sites that do not have a license in Europe. The sites were described as "safe and fast" and "perfect for competitive players", among other things.

Examples from the investigation

Meta AI called casinos without ID checks the "Holy Grail". Gemini wrote that crypto sites offer "anonymity" and a lack of "strict limits".

All seven chatbots recommended sites that bypass Gamstop. That is the UK's scheme where you can exclude yourself from gambling. In Greece, ChatGPT recommended ten casinos, all of which were on the authorities' blacklist.

A separate test by The Guardian and Investigate Europe, aimed at British players, also showed that the chatbots only rarely warned about risks. Only two of five chatbots mentioned help for problem gamblers.

Why it is a problem

Unlicensed casinos do not have the same consumer protection rules as legal operators. You may have a harder time getting your money, and there is a greater risk of fraud.

The investigation points out that illegal online gambling accounted for over EUR 80 billion in revenue in 2024. That equals 71 percent of the EU market. A European study from 2024 also showed that almost one in four 15- to 16-year-olds had recently gambled for money.

The companies' response

OpenAI said ChatGPT "rejects requests that promote illegal activities". Microsoft said Copilot has "multiple layers of protection". Meta, X, Mistral, Anthropic and Google declined to comment.

What it means for you

A chatbot is not a reliable guide to which gambling sites are legal. It often reproduces what is found online, including ads from illegal operators. In Denmark, you can check whether a gambling operator is licensed with Spillemyndigheden (the Danish Gambling Authority). The investigation did not mention Denmark specifically.