VNLOK Sues Meta for Disseminating Illegal Gambling Ads on Facebook and Instagram

The Dutch trade association for licensed online gambling operators has summoned tech giant Meta to court. VNLOK alleges that Meta helped spread illegal gambling advertisements via Facebook and Instagram, with most ads shown to Dutch consumers promoting black market operators.

According to reporting by GamblingNews, VNLOK argues that Meta’s current moderation is wholly insufficient. The platform only removed 15% of illegal advertisements in June. Such marketing materials should not appear in the first place, as even short exposure may negatively affect consumers. The ads surfaced through fan pages, municipality pages, marketing agencies, entertainment websites, and personal blogs.

Illegal operators fool automatic moderation through cloaking, redirects to Telegram, and the unauthorised use of established Dutch gambling brands. Advanced techniques display error messages to regulators while directing normal users to illegal casino apps.

We have repeatedly drawn Meta’s attention to the scale of the problem and asked for structural cooperation on a solution. That has not yielded sufficient results.

— Björn Fuchs, VNLOK chairman

If an illegal operator is removed from one platform, the same operator simply resurfaces via another channel. We end up constantly playing catch-up.

— Björn Fuchs, VNLOK chairman

VNLOK is asking the court to force Meta to comply with its obligations under the European Digital Services Act (DSA). The group also wants guarantees that Meta will take enhanced measures to prevent illegal gambling advertisements targeting Dutch consumers. The lawsuit does not specifically target social media but rather the uncontrolled spread of illegal gambling ads.

New Laws Could Give the Dutch Gaming Authority Expanded Powers

This lawsuit comes ahead of a significant regulatory shift. Next week, lawmakers will vote on a motion to empower the Dutch Gaming Authority to fine online platforms like Meta if they do not take sufficient action against illegal gambling advertisements. Failure to block offending content would result in substantial fines and penalties.

Despite these proposed updates, VNLOK contends that the Gaming Authority already has the necessary power to go after companies like Meta. The authority still strongly supports the government’s tougher approach to the illegal market and favors holding online platforms more accountable. Its lawsuit merely aims to deliver concrete results as quickly as possible.

As governments and industry representatives take measures against the black market, unlicensed operators respond with increasingly sophisticated schemes. Cooperation of companies like Meta can be invaluable in detecting malicious ads.

Reporting: GamblingNews

Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.