Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, is facing a major lawsuit in the Netherlands over its failure to rein in a surge of illegal gambling advertisements on its platforms. According to a recent report by the NL Times, these unlicensed campaigns have increasingly hijacked the likenesses of high-profile global athletes, including Dutch national team captain Virgil van Dijk and Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo, to lure users.

The lawsuit is being brought forward by VNLOK, the official branch organization representing licensed Dutch gambling operators. VNLOK argues that Meta has been dangerously negligent in policing its platforms, allowing unregulated online casinos to run mass marketing campaigns targeted directly at Dutch consumers.

A Staggering Scale of Misinformation

The scale of the unregulated advertising is massive. A review of more than 70,000 gambling-related advertisements circulating on Meta’s platforms revealed a glaring lack of enforcement. Despite the illegal nature of the ads and their unauthorized use of celebrity imagery, only about 5 percent of the flagged advertisements were removed by Meta.

These rogue campaigns rely heavily on the fabricated endorsements of trusted and idolized figures. By using the faces of Van Dijk and Ronaldo, unlicensed operators attempt to manufacture legitimacy and bypass the skepticism of consumers.

Harm to Consumers and Legal Markets

VNLOK’s lawsuit highlights a dual threat caused by Meta’s inaction. First, it poses a direct risk to consumers who may be drawn into unregulated, illegal betting platforms that offer none of the player protections, addiction safeguards, or financial security guaranteed by the regulated market.

Second, the branch organization argues that these illegal campaigns cause significant financial and reputational harm to legally operating, licensed gambling providers who must adhere to strict advertising regulations and compliance measures in the Netherlands.

Holding Big Tech Accountable

At the heart of the lawsuit is the broader question of platform responsibility. VNLOK is seeking a court mandate that would force Meta to enforce stricter moderation policies and proactively remove unauthorized and illegal gambling advertisements.

The case underscores an escalating battle between national regulatory bodies and global tech giants over who is ultimately responsible for policing harmful and illegal content. As unlicensed operators continue to exploit the reach of social media, the outcome of this lawsuit could set a significant precedent for how platforms like Instagram and Facebook are required to govern unregulated promotions in the future.