Dutch gambling regulator weighs penalties against Big Tech over illegal ads
KSA chairman Michel Groothuizen says fines against platforms such as Meta remain an option as Dutch trade body VNLOK takes Facebook owner to court.
Michel Groothuizen, chairman of the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has said the Dutch gambling regulator is prepared to consider financial penalties against large technology platforms that fail to curb illegal gambling advertising, SBC News reported.
Groothuizen set out his position in a blog post marking five years since the Netherlands re-regulated its online gambling market. The post addressed an issue that has dogged the regulator over the past year: illegal gambling adverts appearing on social media.
Meta's Facebook and Instagram have been the most visible example. Licensed trade body VNLOK has summoned Meta to court, arguing in its own analysis that 90% of all gambling ads on Facebook in the Netherlands promote illegal operators.
VNLOK chairman Björn Fuchs told SBC News it was "extremely disappointing to see the lack of (pro)activity at Meta".
Groothuizen argued that if platforms carrying such advertising continue to fall short, the KSA should be able to reprimand them, including through financial penalties. He used an image of law enforcement to make the point, saying a sheriff who misses, or who is "shooting with a clapper gun", effectively hands the advantage to offenders.
He added that Big Tech companies earn substantial revenue from adverts placed by illegal gambling providers across the Netherlands, Europe and beyond, and that imposing meaningful restrictions on themselves runs counter to that business model, even though it is what regulators are asking of them.
The chairman stopped short of announcing immediate legal action against Big Tech firms or Very Large Online Platforms, noting that such companies have the resources to prolong a court battle for years.
For now, the KSA is pursuing a more collaborative route. Groothuizen pointed to its existing work with Google on a "white-list" of EU-licensed operators, which would be used to actively block promotion of unlicensed brands online.
He said every option for establishing responsibility remains open, including litigation. If voluntary agreements with Big Tech fail to produce results, Groothuizen said the regulator would not hesitate to pursue a legal confrontation while continuing to prepare for that possibility in parallel.