The Dutch association of licensed gambling operators VNLOK has filed a lawsuit against Meta and submitted an appeal to the European Commission regarding unauthorized gambling advertisements. The legal action follows data from the fourth quarter of 2025 showing widespread unlicensed casino promotions across Facebook and Instagram.
Industry data indicates that more than 70,000 gambling-related advertisements appeared on Meta platforms during that period. Over 95 percent of these promotions featured operators without valid licenses, while Meta removed fewer than 5 percent following user complaints. The unregulated online gambling sector in the Netherlands now generates over €1 billion annually, matching the size of the licensed market.
The Dutch gambling regulator KSA confirms the enforcement delay. Meta typically removes non-compliant gambling advertisements after 36 hours, after which the same campaigns frequently reappear under newly created accounts and updated web addresses.