VNLOK: Meta Still Missing Illegal Gambling Ads
Dutch trade association VNLOK says Dutch users of Facebook and Instagram remain exposed to illegal gambling advertising on a large scale, with between 94% and 97% of gambling adverts reaching them still coming from operators without a Dutch licence.
In a statement published on its own website on August 27, 2026, VNLOK said only a limited share of the illegal adverts it identified were removed by Meta. The trade body said illegal operators are also using deceptive techniques, including cloaking, redirects to Telegram and the unauthorised use of established Dutch gambling brand names, to steer consumers toward their platforms. VNLOK said this is particularly concerning because players who gamble with illegal operators are considerably more likely to show signs of risky gambling behaviour.
An earlier VNLOK analysis of Meta's own Ads Library, covering October to December 2025, found that more than 95% of gambling-related Facebook pages and adverts each month came from illegal providers, while the share removed by Meta stayed in the low single digits, ranging from 3% to 5.2% across the three months.
Legal Action Already Under Way
VNLOK announced in June 2026 that it would take legal action against Meta and file a complaint with the European Commission over the scale of illegal gambling advertising reaching Dutch users. The trade body wants Meta to verify gambling advertisers targeting the Netherlands before their adverts are allowed to run.
Other courts have already tested platforms' responsibility for gambling adverts. In January 2026, the Paris Court of Appeal upheld an order requiring Meta to filter fraudulent gambling adverts that misused the Barriere casino brand, after Barriere identified at least 2,400 such adverts across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger.
The complaint lands the same week Meta agreed an 18 billion US dollar settlement with US states and territories over claims that Facebook and Instagram caused harm to children, underlining the wider scrutiny the platforms face over content moderation.
For the latest on how regulators and industry bodies are responding to illegal gambling activity, see our gambling news section, and for licensed online casinos operating under proper regulatory oversight, see our reviewed list.
