Dutch Group Sues Meta Over Illegal Gambling Ads

Dutch gambling trade group VNLOK has summoned Meta to court in Amsterdam, alleging Facebook and Instagram let unlicensed operators flood the Netherlands with illegal gambling ads. The group says more than 90% of gambling ads on Facebook come from unlicensed operators and wants a ruling that Meta breached EU rules on policing illegal content.

What is VNLOK's lawsuit against Meta about?

VNLOK, the Dutch trade group representing licensed online gambling operators, has summoned Meta to court in Amsterdam. Gambling News reports the group accuses Facebook and Instagram of letting unlicensed operators flood Dutch users with illegal gambling ads. The filing follows months of warnings VNLOK says Meta largely ignored.

VNLOK chairman Björn Fuchs said the group repeatedly asked Meta to cooperate on a structural fix. He said that effort produced insufficient results, so the case now goes to Dutch courts, according to Focus Gaming News. VNLOK calls this filing the final step in its legal campaign.

The Hague-based association first raised the issue formally in June 2026, filing a parallel complaint with the European Commission. That complaint argued Meta had failed to stop illegal gambling promotions reaching Dutch consumers on its platforms. The court summons builds directly on that earlier grievance.

How big is the illegal gambling ad problem, according to VNLOK?

iGaming Business reports VNLOK found more than 90% of gambling ads on Facebook in the Netherlands came from operators without a Dutch licence. In the final quarter of 2025 alone, VNLOK counted over 70,000 gambling-related ads on Meta platforms. It estimated more than 95% came from unlicensed operators.

Despite flagging thousands of ads, VNLOK says Meta removed fewer than 5% overall. More recent figures show only 11% of flagged ads came down in May, rising to 15% in June. VNLOK argues that pace falls far short of what EU law demands.

European Gaming reports the trade group views this slow removal rate as evidence Meta lacks the structural safeguards the law requires. VNLOK says it has tracked the numbers closely for months precisely to build the case now before the Amsterdam court.

What is the Digital Services Act, and why does it matter here?

VNLOK wants a Dutch court to rule that Meta has failed its duties under the EU's Digital Services Act. The law requires large online platforms to proactively police illegal content, including unlicensed gambling promotions. European Gaming reports VNLOK also filed a complaint with the European Commission in June.

Fuchs said the issue reaches beyond one platform. He noted that when an illegal operator is removed from one channel, it often reappears on another. He said every company in the advertising chain needs to take responsibility, not just Meta.

Fuchs described the pattern as a constant game of catch-up for regulators and licensed operators alike. He argued that without shared accountability across platforms, removing ads from one site simply pushes the problem elsewhere.

What else is happening in the Netherlands on illegal gambling ads?

The Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit has also pressed Meta, filing thousands of complaints about illegal ads through 2025. Lawmakers were set to vote on a motion from MP Bart Bikkers and the VVD party, giving the KSA explicit power to fine platforms that ignore repeated warnings.

VNLOK backs that push but wants the regulator to act now, without waiting for new legislation. Fuchs said the KSA already has legal tools to hold platforms accountable. Dutch minister Claudia Van Bruggen told parliament that Meta and Google have been open to talks on tackling the black market.

Van Bruggen said the government would receive a report every six months tracking illegal gambling advertising across major platforms. She added that the problem should also be tackled at the EU level, through the Digital Services Act itself. GamesHub notes the case adds to a wider pattern of regulators pressing tech platforms over unlicensed betting promotion.

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