Dutch gambling group sues Meta over illegal gambling ads

Dutch gambling trade association VNLOK has filed a lawsuit in a Dutch court and lodged a complaint with the European Commission, alleging that about 70,000 gambling advertisements on Facebook and Instagram targeted Dutch users in the fourth quarter of 2025. VNLOK says more than 95% of those ads promoted operators without Dutch licences and that Meta removed fewer than 5% of the listings.

VNLOK represents licensed online gambling operators in the Netherlands. The association estimates the illegal market now generates more than €1 billion in annual wagers, a level it says is roughly equal to the regulated sector in size.

VNLOK reports it repeatedly alerted Meta and provided examples of illegal adverts. The group says Meta has relied mainly on retroactive user-reporting tools rather than proactive systems. VNLOK contends the EU Digital Services Act requires very large online platforms to take adequate measures to limit illegal content and is seeking a court ruling that Meta breached the law, a court order to force stronger detection and blocking systems, and financial penalties for non-compliance. The association has also asked the European Commission to investigate Meta’s enforcement under the DSA.

Chairman Björn Fuchs described the advertising as a major consumer protection risk and said illegal operators often ignore rules on addiction prevention and target vulnerable groups, including minors and people with gambling problems.

The Dutch action comes as Meta faces related legal pressure abroad. A California resident has sued the company alleging its ad systems steered him to illegal sportsbook promotions and to a fraudulent operation called “Gwin Sportsbook.” Earlier this year, a U.S. jury ordered Meta and Google to pay $6 million in a separate case alleging the platforms used behavioral techniques to increase user engagement.

Regulators in the U.K., Brazil, Malaysia and Australia have publicly questioned Meta’s handling of gambling advertising, and some authorities have requested removal of specific posts or campaigns.

VNLOK has called on search engines, banks and game providers to increase measures to prevent illegal operators reaching consumers. The lawsuit and the complaint to the European Commission will test how the DSA applies to large platforms’ obligations to curb illegal commercial content and whether EU authorities will take enforcement action against Meta.