Dutch gambling trade association VNLOK has formally taken Meta to court over what it says is the continued large-scale distribution of illegal gambling advertising to consumers in the Netherlands through Facebook and Instagram.
The Amsterdam court summons marks the latest stage of legal action announced by VNLOK in June. The organisation, which represents licensed Dutch online gambling operators, is seeking a ruling that Meta is failing to meet its responsibilities under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) by not doing enough to prevent illegal gambling advertising from repeatedly reaching Dutch users.
VNLOK data shows illegal operators dominating ads
VNLOK says its monitoring consistently found that more than 90% of gambling advertisements examined on Facebook were linked to operators without a Dutch licence.
More detailed research published by the association in August found that 94% to 97% of gambling advertisements reaching Dutch Facebook and Instagram users came from unlicensed operators. Among unique Facebook pages promoting gambling ads, 96.0% in May and 98.8% in June directed users towards illegal gambling businesses.
Meta removed only 11% of the illegal advertisements identified in May and 15% in June, according to VNLOK. The association argues that removing ads after they have been reported is insufficient because many illegal campaigns are designed to remain online only briefly.
The scale of the issue had already become apparent in late 2025. VNLOK said more than 70,000 gambling-related advertisements appeared across Meta platforms during the final quarter of that year, with more than 95% linked to unlicensed operators. Fewer than 5% were removed.
Illegal operators have also used techniques including cloaking, Telegram redirects and the unauthorised use of established brand names to make advertisements appear legitimate or make their final destination harder to detect.
KSA reports thousands of illegal advertisements
The Netherlands Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has separately documented the extent of advertising by unlicensed operators.
In April 2026 alone, the regulator submitted more than 4,600 reports to Meta concerning illegal gambling advertisements appearing on Facebook and Instagram. The KSA said illegal operators frequently use the names and images of prominent Dutch sports figures and established brands to make their promotions appear more trustworthy.
VNLOK had already filed a formal complaint with the European Commission when it began proceedings against Meta in June. Its current case focuses on whether Meta has implemented adequate structural measures required under the DSA to reduce the risks created by illegal content appearing systematically on its platforms.
Dutch parliament backs stronger powers against platforms
Political pressure on digital platforms has also increased.
On 29 September, the Dutch House of Representatives adopted a motion introduced by VVD MP Bart Bikkers together with Tijs van den Brink and Mohammed Mohandis. It calls on the government to amend the Gambling Act so that online platforms can themselves be treated as committing an offence when they repeatedly display illegal gambling advertising after receiving removal requests from the KSA.
Under the proposal, the regulator would be given an explicit legal basis to impose an administrative fine or an enforcement order on platforms that repeatedly fail to prevent the return of such advertising.
VNLOK has welcomed stronger enforcement but maintains that authorities should also use the legal powers already available rather than wait for further legislative changes. It argues that tackling Meta alone will not resolve the wider problem because illegal operators can quickly move their advertising to other platforms and channels when access is restricted.