EU Regulators Push Google and Meta on Illegal Casino Ads
Regulators Shift Pressure to the Platforms
Illegal online casinos still reach European players through search ads and social media placements. Regulators now want Google and Meta to screen gambling advertisers before campaigns go live, instead of relying only on fines against offshore operators.
The Dutch regulator, Kansspelautoriteit, or Ksa, has pushed this approach after years of enforcement against unlicensed websites. Collecting penalties from offshore businesses has proved far harder than issuing them, while those operators continue to accept Dutch customers.
Why the Dutch Market Matters
Ksa chief Michel Groothuizen said on 14 October that the regulator is working with Google on a shared list of licensed gambling operators. The aim is simple: if an advertiser is not on the list, Google can reject the campaign.
The Dutch figures explain the urgency. Around 90% of players use licensed sites, yet unlicensed operators still account for roughly half of online gambling spend. That points to a smaller but highly valuable customer base still leaking into the black market.
DSA Rules Create Leverage
The EU Digital Services Act requires major platforms to act against illegal content. For very large platforms, oversight sits mainly with the European Commission, so national regulators such as Ksa often need to submit evidence rather than enforce directly.
Ksa can also try to act under Dutch law, but court action may take years and offers no certain result. A working arrangement with platforms gives regulators a faster route to cut traffic, reduce payment flows and limit exposure for vulnerable users.
A Practical Tool With Clear Limits
Regulators from several EU countries met Google and Meta in spring 2026 and formed a joint working group. At present, many illegal adverts are removed only after individual complaints, manual checks and repeated follow-ups.
A common register could improve that process by giving Google an official reference point for gambling licences across the EU. For operators, that would raise the compliance bar on paid acquisition. For licensed brands, it could reduce unfair competition from unregulated rivals using the same channels.
National Rules Still Complicate Enforcement
The biggest challenge is that gambling licences are issued country by country, and advertising rules also vary between markets. A company licensed in one EU state may still be unlicensed in another.
That means any shared screening system must verify not only whether a licence exists, but where that licence is valid and what advertising permissions apply. Without that extra layer, a platform could approve a legal operator in the wrong market and still expose local consumers to unlawful offers.
Source: iGaming Today
🌐 Source: iGaming Today
