The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) said the reports concerned illegal advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. The regulator noted it is giving extra attention to the marketing activity of illegal gambling companies. These operators, according to the KSA, often use major social platforms to reach Dutch users.
Social Media Becomes an Enforcement Target
The regulator does not stop at blocking access to illegal sites or imposing penalties for violations. Now, the KSA is looking at the wider online infrastructure that helps illegal operators reach Dutch players. An important aspect of the whole process is social media.
In the Netherlands, participating in online gambling is only allowed through licensed operators. KSA said its reaction to illegal supply can range from fines to disrupting the infrastructure used by illegal operators. Online channels that provide traffic to those websites will be part of the process.
Fake Trust Signals Raise the Risk
Social media is now one of the channels KSA sees inside that infrastructure. According to the regulator, the ads use the identities of recognized Dutch sports personalities along with major brands. The objective is clear – to make an unlicensed website seem more trustworthy than it actually is.
From the consumer protection perspective, this raises another issue. Users may get confused when seeing the name of a famous personality or a trusted company logo. The website in question may look like a licensed one.
Illegal gambling ads also contribute to the brand-protection issue. Unauthorized use of athletes or companies in advertisements may go beyond illegal gambling regulation. It also raises other questions, such as reputation and trademark protection.
Alliance Work Moves Beyond Takedowns
KSA said it is working with several companies and organizations to address illegal providers on social media. At a recent alliance meeting, participants shared current knowledge, trends, and insights. Social media advertising was one of the main topics because these platforms can reach large audiences quickly.
In addition to that, the working group discussed how businesses could safeguard their logos and corporate identity. KSA said that it would use the results of the meeting for improving its action over the coming period.
That suggests that the regulator pursues a broader approach than one-off ad report submission. Reporting ads to Meta could help remove certain pieces of content. The harder part is to minimize the repeat use of accounts, creatives, fake brands, and traffic sources.
Dutch Ad Pressure Keeps Building
The April reports occur during an ongoing conversation on gambling advertising in the Netherlands. In March, the KSA issued guidance on online gambling advertising. That guidance included a requirement that operators must prove at least 95% of the people reached by an ad are 24 or older.
A separate public debate in the Netherlands has focused on Cruks, the national self-exclusion registry, after officials noted limits in using the system to screen advertising recipients.
The matter of illegal gambling ads brings further complications. While licensed operators are subject to increasingly stringent restrictions, unlicensed sites may still advertise via social media platforms.
Final Notes
For KSA, illegal gambling advertising is an element of the black-market supply chain. The next test for the Dutch market will likely be whether the reporting to Meta can become a faster and more repeatable enforcement tool. Otherwise, it would remain a monthly clean-up exercise.
