Paf Agrees Pilot Terms with Meta to Share Data on Unlicensed Operators
Paf agreed terms with Meta to launch a pilot project against unlicensed gambling. Jesper Eliasson presented at SBC Summit last week with goal to build model in Switzerland scaled up to more markets. This contrasts with VNLOK suing Meta over 70,000 gambling adverts in final quarter of 2025, 95% from unlicensed operators, less than 5% removed.
SCCG Take — The pilot provides a concrete test of Meta’s willingness to act on shared data. Licensed operators entering Nordic regulated markets stand to gain if it reduces black-market visibility on major platforms.
Nordic gambling firm Paf has agreed terms with Meta to launch a pilot project aimed at curbing unlicensed gambling. The Aland Islands-headquartered operator will share licence documents, URLs, and related information to help the platform better identify illegal operators and affiliates.
Jesper Eliasson, Chief Business Development Officer at Paf, presented the project at the SBC Summit last week. As reported by SBC News, the effort begins shortly with the explicit goal of building a model in Switzerland for scaling to other markets.
“The work starts shortly,” Paf said. “The goal is to build a model in Switzerland that can then be scaled up to more markets.”
Eliasson commented that he does not want to share the market with anyone who has no license, has not paid for the license or the compliance work, and who also has no responsible gaming measures in place. He added that conversations with Meta are productive and that the company does not want illegal operators on its platform.
Mixed Views on Meta’s Enforcement Record
The announcement arrives against a backdrop of sharp criticism directed at Meta. Dutch trade body VNLOK is suing the company over the volume of illegal gambling advertising. VNLOK reported that Meta displayed over 70,000 gambling adverts in the final quarter of 2025, with 95% from unlicensed operators. Less than 5% of those adverts were removed.
Björn Fuchs, VNLOK Chairman, said at the SBC Summit that the time has come for Meta to uphold their responsibility. Communications produced only automated responses, Fuchs noted, and conditions are worsening rather than improving. In the UK, Tim Miller, the Gambling Commission’s former Executive Director, has likewise criticized Meta’s inaction.
Testing Collaboration Against the Black Market
Paf’s move may indicate that Meta is prepared to act more decisively against unlicensed activity. The pilot’s results in Switzerland will show whether data sharing can produce an enforceable model. For operators preparing regulated entry, such as Paf’s planned move into mainland Finland, effective platform-level controls would reduce unlicensed competition and support compliant market growth.
Reporting: SBC News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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