European Commission finds failures enabling illegal gambling ads

The European Commission commissioned a study that identifies systematic failures in large platforms’ advertising controls that have enabled the proliferation of illegal gambling ads, the study published in November 2026 says. The work, carried out by Open Evidence and Spark Legal to support the Commission’s supervisory work, documents how unlicensed advertisers have targeted campaigns in markets where they are not authorised.

Scope and purpose of the investigation

The investigation was commissioned by the European Commission as part of its supervisory review of the practical application of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The study examines six advertising areas considered highly targeted for scams: financial services, investments, romance, e-commerce, personal health and online gambling. The researchers reviewed how scams appear on designated services, their impact on users and society, and the available countermeasures. The report clarifies that it does not assess platforms’ compliance with DSA obligations.

Failures in advertiser verification

The study identifies concrete gaps in advertiser verification processes. Evidence includes that ad systems allow unlicensed operators to target ads; the researchers also found “fake apps placed in legitimate app stores” that activate gambling features after approval. The authors describe an excessive reliance by platforms on advertisers’ “suspicious declarations.”

Google said it had closed some of its vulnerabilities through new unconditional certification rules for gambling ad accounts, implemented from 14 September; nevertheless, advertisers must apply for certifications for each country they wish to reach.

Modes of fraud detected

The report documents several concrete schemes:

• Fraudulent casinos and betting services that take deposits and then prevent withdrawals.

• Advertising promises of guaranteed winnings or reliable betting systems to attract customers.

• Result manipulation, frozen accounts and blocks on withdrawals after deposit.

The paper cites Debunk.org to state that ads appeared in 99% of the gambling scam cases reviewed, and clarifies that that percentage does not mean that 99% of all gambling ads are fraudulent.

Mobile risk and cloaking

The report includes research from Trend Micro on fake apps in the Apple App Store and Google Play that hide gambling features during review and activate them after approval. The findings show that entry-point checks can be vulnerable when app behaviour changes after reaching users.

Proposed countermeasures

The authors propose several practical measures: stricter business verification, automated detection complemented by human review, better reporting tools and cooperation between platforms and external organisations. Interviewees in the study call for strengthened verification for regulated sectors, including gambling.

Reactions in the Netherlands and industry actions

The findings come as Dutch authorities and licensed operators question the continued distribution of illegal ads on social networks. The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) reported that in April it had flagged to Meta more than 4,600 illegal ads; a government response in May raised that figure to more than 26,000. The Ksa said the volume and short lifespan of the ads make a strategy of reporting and removing individual promotions insufficient.

The Dutch trade association VNLOK demanded prior verification of gambling advertisers’ licences and more effective detection of cloaking and referrals via messaging services. VNLOK announced plans for legal action against Meta and a complaint to the Commission in June.

In an update given at the Gaming In Spain conference in Madrid, chairman Björn Fuchs said VNLOK holds evidence documenting “failures by Meta”, and cited the statistic that 97% of the identified ads corresponded to operators without a licence. Fuchs told iGaming Expert:

"This study clearly shows how enormous the fraud and scam challenges are on very large online platforms and search engines."

"These technical juggernauts combine reach, AI and audiences into a mix that is systematically being misused and thus needs more verification and filtering." — Björn Fuchs, VNLOK

The research also examines recommendation systems, monetisation models, messaging and deceptive identities, and stresses the need for cooperation between platforms, regulators and third parties to mitigate the detected risks.