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Compliance Updates

VNLOK Report: Over 95% of Gambling Ads on Meta Platforms are from Illegal Providers

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Illegal gambling providers continue to reach Dutch consumers on a large scale via Meta platforms. An analysis by VNLOK’s Ads Library for October, November and December 2025 shows that in each month, more than 95% of the gambling promotions found—both Facebook pages and advertisements—come from illegal providers. At the same time, only a small portion is removed by Meta, which calls for faster and more robust measures.

Illegal gambling advertisements are widely visible

Recent analyses show that illegal gambling advertising via meta-platforms remains widely visible to Dutch consumers. Of the Facebook pages and gambling ads promoting gambling, over 95% originated from illegal gambling providers in all three months.

Fast rotation with a wide reach

It’s striking that ads from illegal providers are rolled out and replaced at breakneck speed: on average, they were visible for one and a half days in October (79% for less than a day), two days in November (69% for less than a day), and two days in December, with 87% of illegal ads being visible for less than a day. Illegal gambling ads also have a wide reach, peaking at 50 million impressions in November.

Enforcement is lagging behind

The regulated Dutch gambling market is designed to protect consumers through strict duty of care, affordability guarantees and advertising regulations. Illegal providers fall outside this system, yet still manage to reach Dutch target groups on a large scale through social advertising. The share of illegal ads removed by Meta remains limited: 3% in October, 5.2% in November and 4.7% in December.

“These figures are alarming. The enormous flood of illegal gambling advertisements on Meta platforms undermines player protection and also erodes trust in the legal market. This problem is unfortunately growing. The promotion of illegal gambling websites on social media is expanding from social advertising to social content. Meta and other platforms are being flooded with viral videos featuring the brands of illegal gambling websites. This content is attracting targeted minors and young adults to illegal gambling offerings, where the risk of gambling harm is very high,” Björn Fuchs, Chairman of VNLOK.

Call from VNLOK

The findings show that the current approach by platforms and regulators is insufficiently aligned with the scale and speed of illegal gambling advertising on social media. To better protect consumers and safeguard the regulated system, additional and targeted actions are necessary:

Meta must strengthen proactive detection, advertiser verification, and rapid takedown processes for illegal gambling promotions targeting the Netherlands.

The Netherlands Gambling Authority must take even more enforcement action, within existing legal frameworks, against marketing companies and platforms that facilitate advertisements and/or content that direct Dutch consumers to illegal gambling websites.

The visibility and attractiveness of legal online gambling are crucial to prevent even more Dutch players from turning to illegal providers. Policymakers and regulators must ensure that additional rules and restrictions for legal providers do not compromise the visibility and attractiveness of legal online gambling. This will lead to a decrease in the net protection of Dutch consumers. A sufficiently visible and attractive legal offering is crucial to prevent even more Dutch players from turning to illegal providers.

The post VNLOK Report: Over 95% of Gambling Ads on Meta Platforms are from Illegal Providers appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Africa

EveryMatrix gains South Africa licence with customer launch pipeline on the rise

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EveryMatrix has obtained official licensing consent to provide its complete platform technology in South Africa, with its client pipeline quickly expanding throughout the continent and significant customer launches approaching.

EveryMatrix South Africa (EMSA) has obtained a manufacturer’s license from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board and is now permitted to offer its modular and turnkey platform solutions in sports, casino, player account management (PAM), payments, and affiliate management to top local and international operators.

The tier-1 technology provider has achieved considerable progress throughout Africa recently, collaborating with numerous local brands and finalizing agreements with several others set to launch in the upcoming months.

The purchase of FSB Technology has also given it additional access to South Africa and various other developed and developing iGaming markets on the continent.

An increasing number of major local and global tier-1 operators, as well as World Lottery Association member organizations in essential regulated markets, are choosing EveryMatrix’s turnkey platform technology.

Mark Schmidt, Managing Director, Africa, EveryMatrix, said: “Bringing our full suite of turnkey platform products into South Africa under our new licence is enabling us to power some of the biggest brands here, giving them access to technology that will instantly unlock their potential and drive market growth. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be announcing some major deals so watch this space.

“Our casino, sports, PAM, payments, games and content aggregation and affiliate management solutions, supported by our local experts who understand their needs and challenges are providing an offering no one else has been able to offer so far in South Africa and across the continent.”

The post EveryMatrix gains South Africa licence with customer launch pipeline on the rise appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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ANJ

ANJ Warns French Gambling Operators Over 2026 World Cup Ad Budgets

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During its review of gambling operators’ 2026 promotional strategies, the French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) observed a significant increase in their promotional budgets (over 25%), which they attributed in particular to the FIFA World Cup calendar. In this context, to prevent any risk of advertising overexposure and the development of excessive gambling, the ANJ has asked all operators not to exceed their announced budgets.

FIFA’s recent announcement of the introduction of water breaks (or “hydration breaks”) during the Football World Cup, leading to the introduction of 2 minutes of additional advertising breaks during each match, has reinforced the concerns of the ANJ.

Given the prevalence of problem gambling in sports betting (15.3%), and the fact that 18% of 18-24 year olds were gambling in 2024, this announcement does indeed raise fears of an intensification of advertising pressure on the most vulnerable players.

During discussions with the ANJ (National Gaming Authority), ADMTV (which represents all the advertising sales houses of television broadcasters and streaming services) informed them that a major broadcaster had decided not to sell refreshment breaks to advertisers in the gambling sector. This broadcaster also committed to respecting the codes of conduct and recommendations established by ARCOM, ANJ and ARPP since 2022. The ANJ has taken note of this.

Following this announcement, it calls on all stakeholders, broadcasters as well as gambling operators, to exercise restraint in promoting these new spaces, including in activating their partnerships.

Furthermore, it reiterates its call for broadcasters to respect the rules prohibiting advertising for illegal gambling and games of chance, particularly online casinos.

Finally, she asks the legislator to take up in the future her proposal to establish a whistle-to-whistle ban and a strengthened framework for sponsorship of major sporting events.

The post ANJ Warns French Gambling Operators Over 2026 World Cup Ad Budgets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Compliance Updates

REEVO Secures MGA B2B Licence

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REEVO, the iGaming aggregation powerhouse, has announced that the company has been granted an official MGA B2B Licence by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), further reinforcing REEVO’s commitment to regulatory excellence and its continued expansion across regulated markets worldwide.

This major milestone reflects REEVO’s dedication to delivering compliant, secure and scalable aggregation solutions to operators globally, while strengthening trust and long-term partnerships across the iGaming ecosystem.

With the MGA B2B licence in place, REEVO continues to elevate its position as a trusted supplier in regulated jurisdictions, offering partners the stability, integrity and performance needed to thrive in today’s evolving market landscape.

“This achievement represents another key step in REEVO’s global growth strategy. Securing an MGA B2B licence strengthens our ability to support operators with confidence, while reinforcing REEVO’s long-term commitment to compliance, reliability, and innovation,” said Karl Grech, Head of Business Development at REEVO.

The post REEVO Secures MGA B2B Licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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