Meta removed many illegal casino ads from its library and banned two Facebook accounts after BNR challenged a network of promotions that appeared to target people listed in CRUKS, the Dutch self-exclusion register. The ads ran on Facebook and Instagram in late 2025 and the first half of 2026.
CRUKS, or the Central Register for Exclusion from Gambling, is a temporary ban system for people with gambling problems. It keeps them out of licensed casinos for at least six months, and about 100,000 people were on the register early in the year.
The messages were typically AI-generated and framed CRUKS as an obstacle to be bypassed. One said, 'Are you registered with CRUKS and can't play anywhere anymore? No problem! International casinos don't check the Dutch register.' Another accused the government of wanting 'total control over your gambling behavior.'
The ads linked to a site that ranked casinos without Dutch licences, and they were easy to find in Meta’s ad library through simple searches such as 'CRUKS'. Some were posted by accounts with names that openly referred to bypassing the system, including Zonder Cruks and Betrouwbare Spelsites, which mean Without Cruks and Reliable gambling sites.
After questions about the ads, the linked site changed and no longer listed illegal online casinos. It now features digital slot machines where users cannot win or lose real money. Meta said it takes enforcement seriously and that ads must comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Experts said the targeting is especially troubling because CRUKS users are vulnerable. Gea-marit Dekker of the Trimbos Institute said they register out of self-protection or to protect others and may start gambling again on impulse, while Judith Noijen of Jellinek said stress, loneliness and other difficult circumstances can weaken self-control and make promises to bypass CRUKS more tempting.
In April, the KSA filed more than 4,600 reports with Meta over illicit gambling promotions, and a separate study of Meta’s ad archive found 15,114 illegal adverts in a March sample, reaching an estimated 37.9 million Dutch users and 75.8 million impressions.
That study said 65.4% of the illegal adverts targeted users under 24, the age group protected by Dutch advertising rules, and it estimated the ads could translate into yearly revenue of about €7.3 million to €13.6 million for Meta if the activity persisted.
