Paf and Meta test a new way to block illegal casino ads
Åland-based gambling operator Paf has started a pilot with Meta to help Facebook and Instagram filter out adverts for unlicensed online casinos. The scheme was announced at SBC Summit.
The approach
Paf supplies licensing paperwork and website URLs, which Meta can use to separate licensed brands from unlicensed operators and the affiliates advertising them. The first stage covers Switzerland, with potential expansion later. Paf's head of business development Jesper Eliasson said Meta wants illegal operators off its platforms, but there is no guarantee the pilot will succeed.
- Licence data and URLs go from Paf to Meta.
- Switzerland is the first market.
- VNLOK found more than 70,000 gambling ads on Meta in Q4 2025.
Legal pressure
Dutch association VNLOK is suing Meta over illegal gambling advertising. By its count, 95% of the 70,000-plus ads it found in Q4 2025 were placed by unlicensed operators, and fewer than 5% were taken down. Chair Björn Fuchs says Meta must accept responsibility.
What it means in Ontario
Ontario's iGaming market only allows AGCO-registered operators to advertise. If a social media ad leads to a site you can't find on the register, walk away. Our guide to new casinos and our responsible gaming page explain what to check.
Source: SBC News, 6 October 2026. This article is based on publicly reported news; our editors summarised and rewrote it for readers in Ontario.