Meta Faces Dutch Legal Action over Illegal Gambling Advertising
Expertise: US Gaming, European Gaming Industry, iGaming
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:
AMSTERDAM: Dutch gambling trade body VNLOK says it will take legal action against Meta over illegal gambling ads on Facebook and Instagram.
The planned case puts one of Europe’s biggest gambling advertising disputes directly on the doorstep of a major technology platform. VNLOK says Meta has failed to block large-scale promotion from unlicensed gambling operators, exposing Dutch consumers to products outside the country’s regulated market.
VNLOK, which represents licensed operators in the Netherlands, including Entain, bet365 and MGM Resorts, said it will also file a complaint with the European Commission. The group argues that Meta’s current controls are structurally inadequate and that illegal gambling ads continue to reach vulnerable groups, including young people.
VNLOK Says Meta Failed to Stop Illegal Ads
VNLOK said research found more than 70,000 gambling advertisements targeting Dutch consumers on Facebook and Instagram in the fourth quarter of 2025. The trade body said more than 95% of those promotions came from illegal providers and generated tens of millions of monthly impressions.
The association also claimed that Meta removed less than 5% of the ads identified. VNLOK said the company relies too heavily on after-the-fact reporting through standard user tools, which it says cannot keep pace with illegal operators returning through new accounts and campaigns.
Björn Fuchs, chairman of VNLOK, said the issue goes beyond commercial competition. “This is not only an economic problem, but above all a major risk to consumer protection. Illegal providers do not adhere to rules regarding addiction prevention and actively target vulnerable groups such as minors and problem gamblers”, he said.
The dispute has also drawn attention because illegal gambling ads on Instagram were reported to have used the images of football figures Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo. That detail gives the case a wider public-facing angle, as celebrity imagery can make offshore gambling promotions appear more credible to casual users.
Black Market Concerns Grow in the Netherlands
The planned legal action comes during a difficult period for the Dutch regulated gambling market. Licensed operators have faced tighter advertising rules, higher taxes and stricter controls, while industry groups have warned that unlicensed sites are gaining ground.
VNLOK said the black market is now estimated to be roughly equal in size to the legal market, with more than €1 billion spent annually on unlicensed platforms. The group argues that illegal operators have an unfair advantage because they do not follow Dutch rules on addiction prevention, advertising limits or consumer protection.
The concern also fits into the Netherlands’ wider regulatory focus on gambling marketing. Dutch authorities have already tightened rules around celebrity and social media promotion, including the ban on influencers in gambling ads, which was designed to reduce the appeal of gambling to younger audiences.
Complaint Could Test Platform Responsibility
VNLOK said Meta has refused for some time to enter into substantive talks about the issue. The trade body now wants legal action and a European Commission complaint to force stronger detection, monitoring and restriction of illegal gambling advertising targeting Dutch users.
The case could become an important test of how far large online platforms must go to stop unlawful gambling promotions. VNLOK’s argument is that reactive removals are not enough when illegal operators can keep replacing removed ads with new campaigns.
For Dutch regulators and licensed operators, the stakes are tied to channelisation and consumer protection. If legal operators face strict advertising limits while illegal brands continue to buy attention on major platforms, the regulated market may find it harder to keep players inside licensed channels.
Meta has not been reported in the provided materials as issuing a detailed response to VNLOK’s planned action. The next step will be whether the trade body proceeds with the court case and whether European officials take up the complaint over illegal gambling advertising on Meta’s platforms.
RELATED TOPICS: Regulation
