Dutch trade association VNLOK has initiated legal action against Meta and lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission, accusing the social media giant of failing to prevent the widespread display of illegal online gambling advertisements targeting Dutch users on Facebook and Instagram.
According to VNLOK, the illegal online gambling market in the Netherlands now matches the size of the regulated sector, with estimated annual revenues in excess of €1 billion ($1.1 billion).
VNLOK reported that in the final quarter of 2025 alone, Meta-owned platforms displayed more than 70,000 gambling-related adverts. The association estimated that unlicensed operators were responsible for over 95% of these adverts.
