KSA to intensify campaign against illegal gaming advertising
Promotion of illegal gambling operators in online media outlets continues despite KSA efforts – Dutch regulator announces a more aggressive response.
Key points:
– Kansspelautoriteit, the Dutch regulator, continues to receive reports on illegal gambling promotions in online magazines and newspapers
– A more aggressive approach will now target marketing agencies and report them to supervisory bodies
– Fines may be issued for infractions, dependent on investigations
Online magazines and newspapers promoting illegal iGaming platforms remain firmly in the crosshairs of the Dutch Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), following a previous six-month investigation.
The regulatory body has found numerous instances of illicit online casinos being marketed as unaffiliated with Cruks, the Netherlands’ self-exclusion register.
Cruks allows players who believe they have lost control of their gambling habits to exclude themselves. Once signed up, an automatic ban comes into force, stopping the player from accessing Dutch-licensed sites, thereby removing the temptation.
The KSA has said: “Active promotion targeting this vulnerable group is therefore extremely harmful.”
Despite letters being sent to the perpetrators, the KSA has reported further infractions across the media supply chain in the country and stated that it will be taking a more aggressive approach to combat this insidious form of advertising going forward.
Good the know: The KSA has a tough stance on gambling advertising and has suggested a system where advertising, whether by a legal or illegal operator, is expressly forbidden unless it is explicitly permitted
Where the outlets that publish these promotions have already been contacted by the KSA and advised on their conduct, the authority will now additionally be probing those marketing agencies that have been taking fees to place the ads in those outlets.
The war footing that the KSA has put itself on will also consist of reporting those agencies to the supervisory bodies for marketing and advertising activities, such as the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and the Dutch Advertising Code Foundation (SRC).
Consultations will also be sought with trade associations and newspapers to reaffirm what behaviour is expected of them, while the KSA is reserving the right to undertake enforcement action, which could mean the doling out of fines.
In related KSA news, SBM Holding Group, Sun Block Media Labs 2.0 and JEF Holdings were recently issued with weekly fines of €75,000 ($87,685) until the continued advertising of unlicensed operators is ceased.
Gambling Insider delivers the latest industry news, in-depth features, and operator reviews that you can trust. Our team combines rigorous editorial standards with decades of specialized expertise to ensure accuracy and fairness. We are committed to delivering clear, impartial, and dependable coverage across the global gambling sector.
