Meta faces a bombshell complaint
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24 Jun 2026 •
Reading time: 3 minutes
The Dutch online gambling association VNLOK is planning legal action against Meta within the European Union, as well as a complaint to the European Commission. It accuses Facebook and Instagram of allowing adverts for gambling operators not authorised in the Netherlands to circulate on a large scale.
A legal offensive against Meta
VNLOK, the Dutch professional online gambling organisation, has announced its intention to take legal action against Meta within the European Union. It also plans to lodge a complaint with the European Commission. The Facebook and Instagram platforms are reportedly continuing to display a significant volume of adverts linked to unlicensed gambling operators to Dutch users. For VNLOK, this is not merely a technical or commercial issue. The association believes that this repeated exposure undermines consumer protection, particularly for vulnerable groups.
VNLOK represents several well-known operators in the sector, including Entain, bet365 and MGM Resorts. The association believes that Meta’s platforms are failing to adequately prevent the dissemination of prohibited promotional content.
Figures fuelling concern
According to VNLOK, a study has reportedly identified more than 70,000 gambling adverts targeting Dutch consumers in the fourth quarter of 2025. More than 95 per cent of these adverts are said to have come from illegal operators. These adverts are reported to have generated tens of millions of monthly impressions among Dutch users. The association also claims that Meta removed fewer than 5 per cent of the adverts it had reported.
If illegal adverts can be seen by millions of users before they are eventually reported, the damage has already been done. Unauthorised operators can capture attention, attract players and quickly return with new campaigns.
The reporting model under scrutiny
VNLOK criticises Meta for still relying too heavily on reports made after the adverts have been displayed. The association believes that this reactive approach does not match the scale of the problem.
VNLOK believes that Meta has a legal obligation to continue investing in the detection, monitoring and restriction of such content. Platforms cannot simply wait for the authorities or users to report problematic adverts. Faced with repeated campaigns and operators capable of reorganising themselves quickly, prevention must become more proactive.
Vulnerable consumers at the heart of the debate
VNLOK emphasises the importance of consumer protection. The association states that illegal advertising puts young people, minors and those with gambling problems at particular risk.
Björn Fuchs, chair of VNLOK:
“This is not just an economic problem, but above all a major risk to consumer protection. Illegal providers do not comply with rules on addiction prevention and actively target vulnerable groups such as minors and problem gamblers.”
Meta under scrutiny in Belgium too
In Belgium, the Gaming Commission has reported thousands of adverts linked to illegal gambling sites to Meta, particularly on Facebook and Instagram. The problem lies not only in their presence, but in their rapid reappearance after being removed.
Vlaams Belang MP Alexander Van Hoecke has strongly criticised Meta’s approach, arguing that the company could block these adverts more effectively. In his view, the lack of robust safeguards allows dubious advertisers to easily return under different identities.
A warning for Meta and the sector
The case is putting Meta under fresh pressure in the Netherlands. VNLOK is no longer confining itself to public criticism or reporting incidents: the organisation now intends to take the issue to the courts and European institutions. This change in strategy reflects growing frustration at the persistence of illegal adverts.