On Monday, VNLOK, the Dutch gambling trade association, summoned Meta to court, accusing the tech giant of permitting widespread illegal gambling advertisements in the Netherlands.
Based in The Hague, VNLOK represents the country’s licensed online gambling operators and took this legal action after months of warnings and investigations directed at Meta. The association contends that over 90% of the gambling advertisements found on Facebook are from operators lacking licenses in the Netherlands.
Despite raising concerns on the issue, VNLOK reported that Meta only removed 11% of such flagged illegal ads in May and 15% in June. The legal proceedings against Meta were initially initiated by VNLOK in June 2023, claiming that the social media platform failed to curb illegal online gambling ads targeting Dutch users on Facebook and Instagram. Additionally, VNLOK submitted a formal complaint to the European Commission.
"We have repeatedly pointed out the scale of the problem to Meta and asked them to cooperate structurally in finding a solution. That has yielded insufficient results. Therefore, we are now submitting the case to the Dutch courts," stated VNLOK chairman, Fuchs, regarding this ongoing issue.
In its latest statement, VNLOK labeled this court action as “the final step” in its legal battle. The association seeks to compel a ruling that holds Meta accountable under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), a regulation mandating major online platforms to proactively tackle illegal content. Under this requirement, tech companies must implement structural safeguards to prevent illegal gambling ads aimed at users in the Netherlands.
VNLOK highlighted that in the final quarter of 2025 alone, more than 70,000 gambling-related advertisements appeared on Meta-owned platforms, with unlicensed operators responsible for over 95% of them. Yet, Meta managed to remove less than 5% of those ads.
The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) confirmed in its 2025 report that it submitted thousands of complaints about illegal gambling ads to Meta each month throughout the year.
In parallel with the lawsuit, there are discussions in the Dutch Parliament to grant the KSA the explicit authority to impose fines on digital platforms failing to act after multiple notices regarding illegal gambling ads. A motion presented by MP Bart Bikkers and fellow members of the VVD party asks for a vote in the House of Representatives to create a clear legal foundation for imposing sanctions on noncompliant platforms.
While VNLOK supports this parliamentary initiative, it has urged the KSA to take immediate action without waiting for legislative changes. "The regulator must hold parties accountable that enable Dutch consumers to access illegal offerings. Legislative amendments are unnecessary; the regulator already has those legal tools," Fuchs added in Monday’s statement.
"Meta is the main focus of our legal action, but the problem extends beyond just them," Fuchs emphasized. "If an illegal operator is removed from one platform, they often resurface on another. This creates a cycle where we are constantly playing catch-up. All parties involved must take responsibility."
Additionally, in a recent gambling committee debate in the House of Representatives, members underscored the importance of open dialogue with Meta and other significant tech companies to protect players from the growing black market. They flagged the increasing prevalence of illegal gambling site advertisements across social media, a concern that VNLOK has directly addressed through legal action against Meta.
Minister Claudia Van Bruggen noted that Meta has been receptive to collaborating with the government to combat the black market. "Meta, especially as one of the parties, but also Google, is really open to this conversation," she stated during the session. She assured that the government would receive biannual reports on illegal gambling advertisements across these platforms, stressing that this matter needs to be addressed at the EU level under the Digital Services Act.
