The regulator claimed to have received “dozens of reports in recent months” from players who, despite being listed on the Netherlands’ self-exclusion register, were allowed to enter slot machine arcades.

Operators are required to check whether customers are registered in CRUKS, the country’s central exclusion register for games of chance, before granting them access.

However, the KSA said many are failing to do so, and in some cases, there is no access control at all, while on other occasions, a CRUKS registration is ignored.

These failings are “very serious” remarked the regulator, adding: “Players registered in CRUKS precisely because they have problems with gambling and are no longer in control. If the investigation shows that violations have actually taken place, the KSA will impose sanctions.”

This isn’t the first time the KSA has raised concerns about slot machine operators. In late 2021, the regulator conducted an audit of 20 arcades, concluding that many still fell short of the country’s new legal requirements.

This came shortly after the debut of the country’s regulated iGaming market last October, which coincided with the launch of CRUKS. The register is intended to serve as “an important means of combatting gambling addiction,” added the KSA.

Players can choose to register themselves or “someone from a player’s environment” can submit a request to the KSA for registration. Registered players are prohibited from gambling with licensed operators.