Dutch Regulator and Industry Body Escalate Legal Campaign Against Meta Over Illegal Gambling Ads

The Dutch gambling industry's trade association VNLOK has taken Meta to court in what it describes as the final step in a months-long campaign to force the tech giant to remove illegal gambling advertisements from its platforms. The lawsuit, filed on Monday, follows repeated warnings and a formal complaint lodged with the European Commission earlier this year.

VNLOK's investigation found that more than 90 percent of gambling advertisements appearing on Facebook in the Netherlands originate from unlicensed operators. When the association flagged problematic ads for removal, Meta's response proved inadequate: the platform removed only 11 percent of flagged ads in May and 15 percent in June. During the final quarter of 2025 alone, Meta-owned platforms displayed more than 70,000 gambling-related advertisements, with unlicensed operators responsible for an estimated 95 percent of them. Despite this scale, Meta removed less than 5 percent of the flagged content.

VNLOK is asking Dutch courts to rule that Meta has breached its obligations under the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires major online platforms to proactively prevent illegal content. The DSA mandates that tech platforms establish structural safeguards specifically designed to prevent illegal gambling advertisements aimed at Dutch users from appearing on their services.

The legal action represents a significant escalation in regulatory pressure. The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), confirmed that it filed thousands of complaints regarding illegal gambling advertisements with Meta monthly throughout 2025. The KSA's 2025 report documented the ongoing challenge facing both regulatory and industry efforts to contain the black market.

Parallel to the lawsuit, the Dutch House of Representatives is preparing a parliamentary motion that would grant the KSA explicit authority to impose fines on digital platforms that fail to remove illegal gambling advertisements after repeated warnings. The motion, introduced by members of the VVD party, is scheduled for a vote and seeks to establish a clear legal framework for sanctions against platforms that maintain illegal content despite notification.

While VNLOK expressed support for the parliamentary initiative, association chairman Fuchs emphasized that regulatory action need not wait for legislative changes. The KSA already possesses legal options to hold platforms accountable without new laws. Fuchs noted that the problem extends beyond Meta, pointing out that when illegal providers are removed from one platform, they quickly resurface on another. This whack-a-mole dynamic underscores why all parties in the advertising chain must share responsibility for preventing illegal gambling promotion.

During recent House committee discussions, Dutch Minister Claudia Van Bruggen indicated that Meta and Google have demonstrated openness to dialogue with government authorities on combating the black market. The government plans to receive progress reports every six months on illegal gambling advertising across these platforms. Officials also emphasized that the issue must be addressed at the EU level through consistent application of the Digital Services Act.

The case highlights a broader tension in European gambling regulation: licensed operators competing against well-resourced illegal competitors who exploit social media's advertising systems. This enforcement effort in the Netherlands may set precedent for how other EU member states address similar compliance challenges with major tech platforms.