The Dutch gambling regulator has warned licensed operators to follow advertising and betting rules during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Kansspelautoriteit will increase supervision of gambling ads and sports betting offers during the tournament. The regulator has written to licence-holders before the event, reminding them of the rules on advertising and permitted betting markets. Breaches will face direct enforcement action.
Advertising rules remain strict
The KSA reminded operators that untargeted gambling advertising remains banned in the Netherlands. Sports sponsorship restrictions also continue to apply, limiting how betting brands can promote themselves around major events.
The warning comes before one of the largest betting periods on the football calendar. The regulator saw increased gambling activity during the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, making the 2026 tournament a higher-risk period for advertising breaches. The KSA is also focused on vulnerable groups, including young adults. Operators are expected to keep player protection in mind when planning World Cup campaigns.
Some bet types are not allowed
The regulator also reminded operators that not all online football bets are allowed in the Netherlands. Betting on certain in-game events, such as who receives a yellow card or which team wins the first corner, is not permitted. Those restrictions are aimed at betting markets considered more sensitive from an integrity or player-protection perspective.
Operators offering illegal markets during the World Cup could face immediate action. The warning follows recent KSA action against Holland Casino Online and Vbet over prohibited bets on own goals. Such markets are not allowed because own goals are treated as negative events with higher match-fixing risk.
Illegal operators also face scrutiny
The KSA will also monitor illegal gambling ads and unlicensed operators during the World Cup. The regulator has made illegal online gambling one of its main enforcement priorities.
In April, the KSA filed more than 4,600 reports with Meta over illegal gambling ads on Facebook and Instagram. Many of those ads used social media to steer Dutch users toward unlicensed gambling sites.
The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico. For Dutch licence-holders, the message is that World Cup betting demand cannot be used as a reason to loosen advertising, product or player-protection rules.
