Dutch KSA Chairman Outlines Options to Hold Big Tech Accountable for Illegal Gambling Ads
KSA Chairman Michel Groothuizen says all options including financial penalties are available against Big Tech for illegal gambling ads on platforms like Meta’s Facebook and Instagram. This follows VNLOK’s court action citing 90% of such ads promote unlicensed operators. The regulator prefers collaboration, as with its Google white-list partnership, but will pursue legal routes if voluntary efforts fail.
SCCG Take — The KSA is signaling enforcement escalation against platforms whose revenue models clash with regulatory demands. This puts pressure on tech firms to improve compliance while exposing limits in regulator resources versus Big Tech’s legal firepower.
Dutch gambling authority chairman Michel Groothuizen has stated that all options remain available to secure accountability from Big Tech platforms allowing illegal gambling ads to reach Dutch customers.
In a blog post issued for the five-year anniversary of the online market’s re-regulation, Groothuizen focused on the persistent problem of such adverts on social media, according to reporting by SBC News. The most visible cases involve Meta’s Facebook and Instagram.
Licensed operators’ group VNLOK recently brought Meta to court. Its analysis found that 90% of gambling ads on Facebook in the Netherlands promote illegal operators.
“It’s extremely disappointing to see the lack of (pro)activity at Meta,” Björn Fuchs, VNLOK chairman, told SBC News.
Revenue Conflicts and Enforcement Limits
Groothuizen said that if platforms continue to fall short, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) should hold them answerable, including through financial penalties. “A sheriff who shoots and misses or one who turns out to be shooting with a clapper gun, gives the bandits a carte blanche,” he said.
“Big Tech makes a lot of money from the ads of illegal gambling providers, in the Netherlands, in Europe, and worldwide. Imposing substantial restrictions on oneself does go very against the revenue model. Yet that is what we demand of them.”
The KSA chairman stopped short of launching a comprehensive legal campaign against Very Large Online Platforms, citing their resources that could stretch any court case across years.
Collaboration First, Legal Route Open
Groothuizen said the KSA will pursue cooperative steps first, including its existing work with Google to build a “white-list” of EU licensed operators used to block unlicensed promotions.
He stressed that every avenue stays open. “If we find that the VLOPs do not make sufficient efforts for us, or are not sufficiently effective despite their voluntary efforts, the legal path will of course always remain open. It is what we do while at the same time preparing for a possible confrontation. If agreements with Big Tech yield too little, we will not hesitate to take the battle against one of them.”
Reporting: SBC News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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