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Dutch Regulator VNLOK Summons Meta to Court Over Illegal Gambling Ads
Dutch gambling trade association VNLOK has taken Meta to court in Amsterdam, asking judges whether its handling of illegal gambling ads on Facebook and Instagram meets the Digital Services Act.
Written by Editorial Desk28 September 2026
VNLOK, a Dutch gambling trade association, has escalated its dispute with Meta into a court case, with the company summoned to appear in Amsterdam, according to reports. The association wants the court to decide whether Meta is complying with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).
VNLOK is also seeking an order requiring Meta to improve its practices. Its complaint is that illegal gambling ads are not being blocked on Meta's platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, and it says the goal is to stop unlicensed operators from targeting Dutch customers. The association first threatened legal action in June.
For licensed operators, the case tests whether the platforms that carry black-market advertising can be made to answer for it. It lands a day before Dutch lawmakers vote on giving the regulator power to fine those platforms.
We have repeatedly pointed out the scale of the problem to Meta and asked them to cooperate structurally in finding a solution. That has yielded insufficient results. Therefore, we are now submitting the case to the Dutch courts.
What VNLOK says it found on Facebook
Research carried out by VNLOK earlier this year reportedly found that 90% of gambling ads on Facebook came from illegal operators. After its investigations, 11% of those ads were removed in May and 15% in June, according to the same research.
On the association's own numbers, most of the illegal ads it identified stayed up. VNLOK has not published how the research was conducted or how many ads it covered.
Parliament votes on fining platforms
The House of Representatives is due to vote on September 29 on a motion that would let the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) fine online platforms that fail to act against illegal gambling ads. The motion was put forward by Christian Union leader Mirjam Bikker and others. Bikker has backed harsh ad restrictions and, according to reports, fines of up to 100% of an operator's annual turnover.
VNLOK supports the motion. Fuchs called it an "important signal" and said the government is shifting responsibility onto the platforms. "Illegal gambling providers can only reach Dutch consumers by using the infrastructure of large online platforms," he said.
The association also argues that Meta's failings are already infractions and that no new law is required. In other words, VNLOK backs the vote while saying the KSA could already act without it.
The regulator must hold parties that play a role in reaching Dutch consumers with illegal offerings more emphatically accountable for their responsibility. No legislative amendment is needed for this; the regulator already has those legal options.
Fuchs said Meta is only one part of the problem, because operators removed from one platform return through another. "Then we are constantly playing catch-up. All parties in this chain must take responsibility," he said.
Lawmakers vote on the motion on September 29. Whatever they decide, the Amsterdam court will still have to rule on whether Meta's current approach meets the DSA.
