Google responds to Dutch calls to curb illegal gambling promotions
Amid calls from Dutch politicians for tighter controls on the advertising of unlicensed gambling in the Netherlands, Google has responded by defending its existing measures. The tech giant has confirmed that it already has policies in place to prevent the promotion of illegal gambling websites through its search engine.
Dutch politicians call for stricter regulations
Mikal Tsegga, from the Dutch Labour Party, and Willem Koops, of the New Social Contract Party, have raised concerns about the visibility of unlicensed gambling operators in Google’s search results. They have called for the government to include a measure in the country’s gambling legislation that would restrict gambling websites from appearing in search results unless they are licensed by the Dutch Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA). This would involve Google consulting a whitelist of approved operators drawn up by the KSA before displaying any gambling-related content.
Google’s response
Speaking to CasinoNieuws.nl, Google confirmed that there is already a whitelist system in place which ensures that only gambling providers licensed by the KSA are allowed to advertise, in line with its advertising policies.
It said that this policy is just not limited to the Netherlands; such measures have been adopted by Google in countries like Nigeria and Germany to address similar concerns about unlicensed gambling.
Nevertheless, since the introduction of the Gambling Act, there have been many advertisements for illegal online casinos. A Google spokesperson stated that there will always be parties that try to circumvent Google’s processes.
However, the tech giant is constantly working to remove unlicensed gambling ads (and other prohibited content). In 2023 alone, Google removed over 5.5 billion ads for violating its policies, including nearly 200 million gambling-related ads, according to the .
Concerns about illegal gambling ads
The Dutch Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates (KVA) contacted Google earlier this year to raise concerns about certain domains advertising themselves as “casino without Cruks” — a reference to the Dutch self-exclusion system. The KVA estimates that over a million Dutch customers have accessed black market gambling sites.
Despite these challenges, Google continues to remove illegal gambling ads. The company has a system in place that allows users to report ads that violate its guidelines, including illegal gambling ads. It also provides a reporting tool for issues with search suggestions, such as autocomplete queries that may lead to unlicensed gambling websites.
Political and regulatory pressure
At present, the Dutch government is considering a range of potential gambling reforms as part of its review of the 2021 Remote Gaming Act (KOA Act). Led by State Secretary for Legal Protection, Teun Struycken, the review includes proposals such as raising the age limit for online slot games and introducing stricter rules on gambling advertising.
The proposals have prompted extensive parliamentary debate, while trade bodies like VNLOK and NOGA have urged the government to avoid a blanket ban on gambling ads, warning it could harm licensed operators.
The KSA has also ramped up efforts to tackle illegal gambling in the Netherlands. In 2025, the regulator began a major crackdown on illegal gambling apps, removing 20 such apps from app stores since the start of the year.
