For several months now, the Netherlands has been looking for ways to better regulate online gambling advertising. Google already claims to restrict these ads to operators approved by the Ksa, but despite billions of ads being removed by 2023, loopholes remain due to sophisticated techniques. A parliamentary motion proposes incorporating an official whitelist into the law to strengthen consumer protection and limit exposure to illegal operators.
For months, the Netherlands has been trying to regulate online gambling advertising. During a recent parliamentary debate, MPs Mikal Tseggai and Willem Koops called for the strict introduction of a ‘whitelist’, authorising only licensed operators to appear on Google. What few people knew was that this list already exists, according to Google itself.
In an exclusive exchange with CasinoNieuws.nl, a Google spokesperson confirmed that only operators with a licence from the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) can legally advertise via its platforms.
Constant vigilance, but not enough?
Despite these strict rules, the reality is more complex. Consumers continue to see advertisements for illegal casinos. How is this possible? Google acknowledges that there are still players seeking to circumvent its procedures.
Google has not been idle: in 2023, the company removed no fewer than 5.5 billion non-compliant ads. Of these, 192.7 million concerned gambling-related content, according to their Ads Safety Report 2023.
But despite these impressive figures, the flaws persist. Fake showcase sites, sneaky redirects and other fraud techniques make the job harder.
Advertising fraud methods revealed
One particularly problematic phenomenon is ‘cloaking’: adverts claiming to promote a harmless service are in fact redirected to illegal gambling sites. This type of fraud alone accounted for more than one billion ads removed in 2023, a record according to the official Ads Safety Report 2023.
This type of extremely sophisticated technique complicates the task of detection systems. However, Google insists that it is continually strengthening its filters and controls to limit these practices as much as possible.
In view of this, Google is strongly encouraging its users to report any suspicious advertising. A special form has even been set up to make it easier to report illegal content.
The delicate balance between protection and accessibility
However, a dilemma persists: completely banning gambling advertising could have a counter-productive effect. If consumers can no longer find legal offers, they could turn en masse to illegal sites.
The parliamentary initiative of MPs Tseggai and Koops is clear: to get tough. Their motion calls not only for only reputable operators to be visible on Google, but also for this requirement to be written in black and white into the new Gambling Act.
The proposal stipulates that only companies certified by the Ksa should be visible in search results and advertisements, which would amount to reinforcing and formalising Google’s current policy.
The problem extends far beyond the borders of the Netherlands. All over the world, regulatory authorities are trying to limit access to illegal gambling, while fraudulent operators are competing in ingenuity to circumvent the rules.
An ongoing battle
Even though Google has set up an unofficial ‘whitelist’, the scale of fraudulent advertising shows that the battle is far from won. The combined efforts of the tech industry and legislators will be essential to guarantee a safer Internet for consumers. In the meantime, we must remain vigilant.