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What is Shifting Seas?
Blok called for more decisive immediate action, saying: “The government must act now through criminal prosecutions by the Public Prosecution Service, alongside measures taken by regulators and licensed operators.
“Tackling illegal gambling requires joint responsibility from banks, payment providers and hosting services who facilitate these platforms.”
The lottery operator also criticised government proposals for a blanket advertising ban on licensed online gambling providers in June. It argued such restrictions could inadvertently drive more players towards unregulated, illegal platforms.
What is Shifting Seas?
Candidates from the VVD party urged the government to take a “harder stance” against these big tech platforms.
Some politicians stated their opinion that the legal gambling age in the Netherlands should be increased to 21 from the current barrier of 18 years old.
This isn’t the first time this policy has been mooted in the Dutch parliament. A 2025 bill proposed raising the age for “higher-risk” activities like online slots.
About Shifting Seas
Van Bruggen told the gambling committee that both Meta and Google were open to maintaining a dialogue with the government on this.
She said the government would receive a report every six months on illegal gambling advertising across these platforms.
The KVA’s statement mirrors a broader European regulatory trend where authorities are increasingly scrutinising how major internet platforms facilitate traffic to unlicensed gambling services.
