Illegal gambling ads on Meta platforms are still reaching large numbers of Dutch consumers, according to new research from KVA (Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates) and VNLOK (Vergunde Nederlandse Online Kansspelaanbieders) – see more details:

•  The report analysed Facebook and Instagram advertising activity during March 2026 and estimated the potential advertising revenue linked to these campaigns. The study says illegal gambling ads generated between EUR 7.3m and EUR 13.6m in estimated annual Meta revenue.
• KVA identified 15,114 illegal gambling advertisements during March 2026 using eight gambling-related search terms in Meta’s Ad Library. The report estimated that these ads generated around 75.8 million impressions among Dutch users across Facebook and Instagram. Researchers said the figures likely represent only a lower-end estimate because many additional gambling-related keywords were not included.
• The financial analysis used CPM benchmarks ranging from EUR 8 to EUR 15 per thousand impressions. Based on this model, estimated monthly revenue linked to the campaigns ranged from EUR 606,551 to EUR 1.14m. The report’s “realistic” scenario estimated yearly revenue at around EUR 10m.
• Researchers found that 65.4% of the illegal gambling ads targeted users below the age of 24. Around 5.8 million impressions were delivered to Dutch users aged between 18 and 24 during the one-month study period. KVA estimated this could equal roughly 71 million yearly impressions for that age group.
• The report described several recurring tactics used by advertisers to avoid moderation systems. These included short campaign cycles, redirects through app-store links and the use of fake testimonial accounts with Dutch-sounding names. KVA also identified repeated use of well-known Dutch consumer brands such as Holland Casino and ING in ad campaigns.
• According to the analysis, 38.3% of identified advertisements were later marked by Meta as “taken down”, “ad account disabled” or “page disabled”. However, the report said new campaigns appeared faster than existing ones were removed. Researchers also found cases where advertisers recreated removed pages under different IDs.
• The study was carried out by KVA in cooperation with Dutch trade body VNLOK. Researchers used publicly available data from Meta’s Ad Library and reviewed advertisements shown to Dutch users between 1 and 31 March 2026. Ads were classified as legal, illegal or non-gambling related based on licensing status, domains and redirects.
• KVA said the findings highlight the wider enforcement challenge around illegal gambling ads and unlicensed operators. The report stated: “The recurring visibility of this type of advertising in the Dutch market shows the complexity and scale of the underlying enforcement task.” Researchers also called for continued investment in proactive monitoring and prevention measures on large online platforms.

Please find more news here.