Licensed gambling companies in the Netherlands are taking Meta to court to try and force it to crack down on advertising for illegal gambling sites on Facebook and Instagram.
The operators have also complained to the European Commission, arguing that it is doing too little to enforce the rules.
VNLOK, the trade body for licensed Dutch gambling firms, says more than 70,000 gambling adverts appeared on Meta’s platforms in the final quarter of 2025, of which over 95% came from illegal operators.
Meta only removes ads for illegal sites once they have been reported, which the trade body likens to mopping a floor with the tap still running.
In a response to broadcaster NOS, Meta acknowledged it cannot stop every illegal gambling ad and said it was looking at ways to keep them off Facebook and Instagram.
The gambling regulator, the Kansspelautoriteit, said it reports thousands of illegal ads to Meta each month, but that they are visible for around a day and a half on average and quickly return under a slightly different name or web address.
A spokesperson described the illegal advertisers as “an elusive opponent”.
Tournament adverts
Illegal sites are currently using images of well-known footballers, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk, in adverts tied to the World Cup, the operators say.
The licensed firms say their illegal rivals ignore the safeguards meant to limit gambling addiction. “Vulnerable players, including young people, are exposed to great risks,” VNLOK chairman Björn Fuchs said in a statement.
The action comes earlier this month after the cabinet set out plans for a complete ban on online gambling advertising and bonuses. Licensed operators argue that tightening the rules on legal firms only pushes players towards unregulated sites.
Online gambling was legalised in the Netherlands in October 2021. The regulator reported last year that more is now spent on illegal sites than on legal ones.
Anyone affected by gambling problems can contact OpenOverGokken, the national gambling helpline, free on 0800 2400 022, day or night.
