Malta MEP warns online gambling ad ban could boost illegal market

A ban on online gambling advertising across the European Union risks driving players towards unregulated operators, Maltese Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Peter Agius warned during a recent petition hearing, according to CasinoNieuws.nl. 

Agius argued that broad prohibition measures might ultimately undermine consumer protection efforts rather than enhance them.

MEP questions online gambling ad ban effectiveness

The hearing followed a petition submitted by a Cypriot citizen calling for an EU-wide prohibition on all gambling advertising. 

The petitioner pointed to the widespread presence of gambling marketing across social media, billboards and other channels and stressed heightened risks for vulnerable groups, including young people, older adults and those recovering from gambling addiction.

While emphasising that protecting minors and preventing addiction should remain paramount objectives, Agius queried whether a sweeping ban on advertising would effectively achieve these aims. 

He urged policymakers to carefully consider whether such a blanket prohibition would reduce harm or merely shift demand towards illicit and unregulated operators who do not implement consumer safeguards.

Agius highlighted the division of competences within the EU, noting that gambling policy largely remains a national prerogative, while the EU regulatory focus lies on combating misleading or aggressive advertising. 

Black market data drives Agius’s argument

Citing a 2023 study commissioned by the French regulator l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) and conducted by Strategy& (part of PwC), Agius stressed the significant illegal share in online gambling markets in some member states. 

He added that problematic gambling behaviour was more than three times as prevalent among illegal operator customers (66%) compared to those using regulated services (22%).

Using these figures, Agius argued that effective consumer protection is best delivered through a well-regulated commercial market that enforces age verification, promotes responsible gambling and monitors for problematic behaviour. 

Illegal market growth is hard to ignore

Across the EU, national approaches to gambling advertising vary widely. Some member states have recently tightened restrictions, while others maintain more permissive regimes. 

Dutch trade association VNLOK recently took legal action against Meta over a surge in illegal gambling advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, with unlicensed operators estimated to account for more than 95% of gambling-related adverts displayed on the platforms in the final quarter of 2025.

The problem extends beyond the Netherlands: across Europe, regulators and industry bodies have increasingly framed channelisation and consumer protection as inseparable, with illegal operators now competing for the same customers in the same digital landscape as licensed ones.

Industry stakeholders and some regulated operators caution that overly stringent advertising curbs can undermine channelisation and inadvertently fuel the illegal market. 

Other European markets tell the same story. Germany’s strict rules drove players towards unlicensed operators, while the Netherlands saw its channelisation rate fall below 50% in 2025 as its illegal market overtook the licensed sector by revenue.