iGamingExpert

Meta has again been slammed for allowing illegal gambling operators to advertise on its platform – this time in the Netherlands.

Dutch gambling’s trade body, Vergunde Nederlandse Online Kansspelaanbieders (VNLOK), has warned that illegal providers continue to reach players in the country “on a large scale” via the social media brand’s platforms.

Analysis of Meta’s ads library from VNLOK between October 2025 and December 2025 revealed that “more than 95% of the gambling promotions found—both Facebook pages and advertisements” were from black market operators. Only a small portion of these ads were removed by Meta, with the association calling for “faster and more robust measures” as a result.

This criticism intensifies pressure on Meta after comments by the UK Gambling Commission’s Executive Director Tim Miller to industry stakeholders at ICE last week. He said he has seen more adverts for illegal online casinos appearing on their brand platforms using ‘not on GamStop’ signage to tar..

Turkish authorities have reported a critical juncture in the fight against illegal gambling, fuelled by direct actions on Turkey’s financial system and bank licences.

On Monday, Mehmet Şimşek, Minister of the Treasury and Finance, declared that proxy bank accounts enabling transactions to illegal betting and gaming sites could soon be eradicated.

Providing an update on investigations and enforcement carried out by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), Şimşek confirmed that in 2025 the financial intelligence unit halted the circulation of TL5bn (€100m) in illicit proceeds within Turkey’s financial system.

Şimşek stated: “Illegal betting organisers have recently started using bank, payment, electronic money and cryptocurrency accounts belonging to third parties.
“I would like to strongly remind our citizens that renting or allowing others to use their accounts under pretexts such as ‘escrow’, ‘temporary use’, or ‘for commission’ constitutes participation in illegal betting..

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been told to disregard a proposal made by Victor Negrescu, Vice‑President of the Social Democratic Party of Romania (PSD) and Vice‑President of the European Parliament (EP), which called for a “unionised tax charge on online gambling.”

This week, the European Parliament was informed of Negrescu’s proposal to create an ‘EU-level iGaming tax’, although the proposal itself is still said to be in development.

Negrescu framed his proposal to MEPs as a new measure to raise funds for EU-wide initiatives on education and re-skilling, and to support member states in the treatment of addiction and mental health.

The Romania SDP Minister currently sits on the council which considers and evaluates proposals for the design and development of the EU’s budget. The VP believes that a unionised tax charge on online gambling could provide an additional €4bn to the budget each year, and up to €28bn across a fiscal cycle.

In his address, the Minister argu..

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) believes there are areas in which licensed operators can improve their player protection tools, despite an overall positive level of compliance with regulatory expectations among the majority of licensees.

A thematic review was conducted by the MGA in the first half of 2025 on the self-exclusion implementation and other responsible gambling safeguards across 20 licensees and 58 active URLs.

A mystery shopper exercise was used to determine effectiveness, cross-brand account controls and how responsible gambling protections were presented at key moments by licensees.

The MGA stated: “For Brand A, a player account was registered using a fixed set of personal details, followed by deposits and gameplay to test platform functionality.

“Brand B involved registering with the same details, initiating self-exclusion on Brand A, and verifying whether this exclusion extended to Brand B.

“Brand C tested the system’s ability to detect linkage by registering wi..

The Dutch gambling regulator has expanded its battle against illegal gambling, ordering Polymarket to cease its presence in the country.

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) warned Adventure One QSS, the operator of the Polymarket brand in the Netherlands, that it would be sanctioned with a weekly fine of €420,000 should it continue to operate in the country, with a maximum penalty of €840,000.

A zero-tolerance approach to illegal gambling sites is one of the key goals set out by the government in its recently published ‘Getting started, Building a better Netherlands’ coalition agreement, with KSA now expanding this action to include prediction markets.

KSA highlighted how Polymarket has been in the news recently, particularly surrounding wagering on the Dutch elections. Polymarket staunchly denies that it falls in the gambling category.

Despite being contacted about its illegal activity in the Netherlands, no changes have occurred to Polymarket’s offering in the country and as such, an orde..

EU Member States have been urged to consider adopting a ‘unionised tax charge’ for online gambling operators, with proceeds directed towards funding social initiatives, education and workforce reskilling projects.

A proposal is being explored by Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament, who used a recent plenary address to reiterate support for examining an “EU-level iGaming tax” as part of broader budget reform discussions.

A member of Romania’s Social Democratic Party (PSD), Negrescu is among Parliament’s Vice-Presidents and plays a role in shaping and overseeing the EU’s budgetary framework. As lead negotiator on the 2025 EU Budget, he has consistently advocated an investment-led financial model centred on education, youth and skills development.

Speaking before MEPs in Brussels yesterday, Negrescu framed the proposal as both an economic and social measure that should be considered.

“The online gambling market is one of the fastest-growing digital industries ..

Spelinspektionen, the Gambling Inspectorate of Sweden, has urged licensees and stakeholders to engage with the ‘AMLA consultations’ to help improve the legitimacy and effectiveness of money laundering policies, practices and safeguards for EU Member States.

AMLA serves as the ‘Anti-Money Laundering Authority’, an EU-authorised supervisory body established in 2024 to support Member State governments and Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) with evidence and data to prosecute AML/CFT crimes and strengthen overall protections.

Within its remit, AMLA was established to help EU Member States align and implement money laundering safeguards in accordance with the EU’s new AML legislative package, including the AML Regulation and the 6th AML Directive, sanctioned on 14 June 2024.

The 6th AML Directive is regarded as a landmark reform in the EU’s harmonisation of anti-money laundering rules. The framework introduces 22 standardised definitions of “predicate money laundering offences”, includi..