KSA satisfied with results of sports sponsorship ban
The Dutch regulator has reflected positively on the recent expansion of its gambling advertising ban to include sports sponsorship.
Key points:
– KSA expresses satisfaction with success of its gambling sports sponsorship ban
– Ban on untargeted advertising for online gambling was introduced in 2023 but became effective for sports sponsorship deals on 1 July 2025
– Regulator notes that, after the ban came into effect on 1 July, almost all instances of gambling sporting sponsorship have disappeared
The Dutch regulatory body, the KSA (Kansspelautoriteit), has been running the rule on gambling advertising for some time now.
It was back in July 2023 that the ban on untargeted advertising for online gambling came into force, though it hasn’t flexed the full extent of its muscles until now.
When that initial policy was enacted, an arrangement was put in place that made a concession for sporting sponsorship deals with long-term arrangements already in place.
This transitional caveat recognised the longer nature of these contracts and allowed extant partnerships to run for an additional two years without threat of penalties.
On 1 July 2025, the previously announced ban came into full force, with gambling operators on notice from the KSA that the 2023 ban would now be enforceable in all situations.
The report includes the following remark: “After the ban came into effect on 1 July, almost all public expressions have disappeared.”
Good to know: Untargeted advertising includes all advertising that exist in the public sphere and aim to achieve a wide reach
The regulator gave prior warning in the run up to this date that instances of gambling sponsorship in sport would be under more intense scrutiny than ever before.
In the first week of the expanded ban, a few minor violations have been identified by the Gaming Authority, but broadly it has expressed satisfaction that compliance with the rules is on a fairly high level.
Examples of breaches have been described in the report – for instance: “The sale of merchandise with a logo of the gambling provider on it in webshops of the sports clubs.”
This example is presumably judiciously selected to remind operators that it remains their responsibility to ensure across-the-board compliance, even though the sponsorship arrangements will inevitably involve external parties.
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