(AsiaGameHub) –   A recent study has revealed that while the majority of licensed Dutch gambling operators adhered to age targeting regulations on Meta platforms, a smaller proportion of advertisements still reached individuals protected by Dutch law.

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Key Takeaways

• Dutch regulations mandate that gambling advertisements must not target individuals aged 18 to 23.
• Researchers analyzed 277 paid gambling advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, spanning from 2024 to early 2025.
• The study identified 31 advertisements, representing 11.2%, that included age ranges encompassing younger, protected users.

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Meta Ad Data Reveals Compliance Lapses in Dutch Gambling Advertising

Although Dutch regulations for gambling advertisements appear stringent, data from Meta’s advertising platform indicates that minor configuration choices can still lead to compliance issues.

Researchers from the City University of Hong Kong and the University of Bristol examined 277 paid advertisements from licensed Dutch gambling operators placed on Facebook and Instagram. Their analysis utilized data from the Meta Ad Library, made accessible under the EU Digital Services Act, which provides researchers with more detailed information regarding advertiser age demographics and estimated audience reach.

The review found that 31 advertisements included users aged 18 to 23 in their targeting parameters. This age group is protected from gambling advertising under Dutch law. Any advertisement whose targeting range included at least one age within the 18 to 23 bracket was classified as non-compliant by the study.

Operators in the online sector demonstrated better adherence to the rules compared to those with offline licenses. Online gambling license holders achieved a compliance rate of 92.7%, whereas nearly 30% of advertisements associated with offline license holders violated age restrictions.

The study also highlighted specific large operators, including Holland Casino and its associated brands. One advertisement from Holland Casino was reported to have reached over 21,000 Dutch users aged between 18 and 24. Researchers estimated that more than 15% of its Dutch audience reach may have been under the age of 24.

The challenge is not solely on the part of the operators. Meta reports age data in broad categories, such as 18 to 24, whereas Dutch law specifically focuses on the 18 to 23 age bracket. This discrepancy complicates precise compliance checks for regulators, researchers, and advertisers alike.

Years of Increased Gambling Control

The Netherlands has progressively strengthened its controls over gambling advertising over several years. Since 2013, the Decree on Gambling Recruitment, Advertising and Addiction Prevention has prohibited gambling advertisements aimed at individuals under the age of 24. In 2022, the Dutch government also announced a ban on untargeted gambling advertisements.

At the time, Franc Weerwind, minister for legal protection, stated:

“Advertising is a tool to direct people towards the legal offerings, but the importance of addiction prevention is paramount.

“Through this measure, I aim to protect vulnerable groups, particularly young people.”

A 2023 amendment mandated that online license holders implement the most effective measures available to avoid targeting individuals aged 18 to 23. It also required proof that at least 95% of gambling ad audiences were 24 years of age or older.

Researchers identified several contributing factors to these compliance failures:

• Meta’s automated tools, such as Advantage+, may default to age settings starting from 18 without adequately alerting advertisers to Dutch gambling regulations.
• Human error and insufficient pre-publication checks appear to have played a role.
• Meta’s age reporting utilizes broad age brackets, which limits the ability to conduct exact compliance checks.

The study’s scope was limited to Meta platforms and licensed Dutch operators, excluding platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Google, as well as unlicensed overseas gambling sites operating within the Dutch market. Consequently, the complete online advertising landscape may be broader than what the report indicates.

The researchers recommended the implementation of more precise advertising data, including single-year age reporting and the ability to query custom age ranges. They also suggested that platforms should, by default, enforce country-specific legal age restrictions, such as preventing Dutch gambling advertisements from targeting users under the age of 24.

This report emerges at a time when Meta is facing scrutiny in the UK regarding illegal gambling advertisements. Tim Miller, executive director of the UK Gambling Commission, commented:

“Anyone who spends time on their platforms will likely have encountered advertisements for illegal online casinos.

“Most notably, and perhaps most concerningly, many of these are targeted at UK users and are for so-called ‘not on GamStop’ sites.

“These are aimed at consumers who have taken the significant step of self-excluding from online gambling through the use of GamStop, Britain’s multi-operator self-exclusion scheme.”