Paf and Meta launch pilot against unlicensed casino ads
Nordic operator Paf has teamed up with Meta on a pilot to tackle advertising by unlicensed online casinos on Facebook and Instagram. The partnership was presented at SBC Summit.
How it should work
Paf will pass licensing documents and URLs to Meta, giving the platform a way to tell licensed brands from unlicensed operators and their affiliates. The first phase builds a model for Switzerland, which could be extended to other countries. Paf's head of business development Jesper Eliasson said Meta does not want illegal operators on its platforms, while noting that success is not certain.
- Paf shares licence documents and URLs.
- The pilot starts in Switzerland.
- VNLOK recorded more than 70,000 gambling ads on Meta in Q4 2025.
Growing pressure
Dutch association VNLOK is suing Meta over illegal gambling advertising. It says 95% of over 70,000 such ads in Q4 2025 came from unlicensed operators and that fewer than 5% were removed. Chair Björn Fuchs has called on Meta to take responsibility.
What it means for Ottawa players
Ontario allows only registered operators to market online gambling. If an ad leads you to an unfamiliar site, check its licence first – our online casinos and new casinos guides show what to look for.
Source: SBC News, 6 October 2026. This article is based on publicly reported news; our editors summarised and rewrote it for Ottawa readers.