VNLOK, the Dutch gambling trade association, is preparing a formal complaint against Meta with the European Commission over illegal gambling advertisements on its platforms.
The trade body, whose members include bet365, Unibet and LeoVegas, claims Meta has repeatedly failed to stop illegal gambling ads from targeting Dutch consumers on Facebook and Instagram.
VNLOK argues that Meta’s ongoing inaction is undermining the integrity of the licensed gambling sector in the Netherlands, a position that appears to be shared by the Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit.
“Meta’s measures fall short structurally, while vulnerable groups – including young people – are massively affected by illegal gambling advertisements,” VNLOK said in a statement.
The trade body says Meta has “refused to enter into a substantive conversation for quite some time”, effectively forcing VNLOK to escalate the matter to European authorities.
VNLOK has further criticised Meta for only acting on illegal advertising when prompted by alerts from third parties, rather than adopting any proactive monitoring approach.
“Meta does ask for examples of illegal advertising, but does not want to work together to develop structural solutions,” VNLOK said, calling the stance incomprehensible given the scale of the problem.
The trade association noted that illegal providers continue to circumvent existing measures by repeatedly returning with new advertisements despite previous removals, highlighting the inadequacy of the current reactive approach.
VNLOK stressed that large online platforms are legally required to invest continuously in the detection, monitoring and limitation of illegal gambling ads directed at Dutch consumers.
The situation in the Netherlands is particularly acute, with illegal gambling already widespread and recent legislative changes adding further pressure to the licensed sector.
New measures including increased taxes on gambling operators and an upcoming blanket ban on online gambling advertisements are expected to make the illegal market even more attractive to unlicensed operators.
The combination of tightening restrictions on licensed operators and Meta’s alleged failure to act has prompted increasingly frequent strategic meetings between Dutch gambling companies and regulatory authorities seeking solutions.
