Myanmar's Posts and Telecommunications Department (PTD) has intensified its efforts to curb gambling-related SMS spam, according to local media. As of June 30, 2026, the regulator had permanently blocked 390,978 phone numbers suspected of sending promotional gambling messages.
The department said it is working closely with licensed mobile network operators to monitor and prevent the distribution of gambling-related text messages through their networks. The initiative forms part of an ongoing effort to reduce the spread of illegal gambling promotions delivered directly to mobile users.
Under the department's monitoring framework, an SMS is considered abnormal when the same message is sent from a single phone number to 60 recipients within one hour or to 1,000 recipients within a 24-hour period. Once these thresholds are reached, the messages are automatically identified by operators' SMS firewall systems and blocked through an automated enforcement mechanism.
Authorities said the system is designed to detect large-scale promotional campaigns rather than ordinary person-to-person communications, allowing operators to quickly disrupt mass messaging activities associated with illegal gambling operations.
The latest figures indicate the scale of the enforcement campaign, with hundreds of thousands of phone numbers now permanently barred from sending messages through licensed mobile networks.
In addition to automated detection, the department is encouraging public participation in the crackdown. Mobile users who receive gambling-related promotional or invitation messages are urged to report the originating phone numbers by emailing the PTD, enabling authorities to investigate additional cases that may not yet have been identified through automated monitoring.
The measures reflect a broader effort by Myanmar's telecommunications authorities to strengthen oversight of mobile communications and limit the use of licensed telecommunications infrastructure for unlawful activities.
By combining automated filtering technology with public reporting, the department aims to further reduce the circulation of gambling-related SMS campaigns while protecting consumers from unsolicited messages linked to illegal gambling operations.
The crackdown targets promotional and invitation messages distributed through the networks of licensed mobile operators
