The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has published a new report about how some gambling companies in the Netherlands are not intervening quickly enough to help ‘potential problem players.’

Highlighting the fact that it feels many providers are not acting quickly enough to help problem gamblers, the KSA has referred to the report it commissioned on the subject – in which it extensively investigated the fulfilment of the duty of care at 10 providers.

As a result of the report, the KSA will now ‘tighten its own policy and make recommendations for amendments to legislation and regulations by the Ministry of Justice & Security.’

René Jansen, Chairman of the Gaming Authority, said: “The KSA puts safe play first. We receive worrying signals and, as a supervisory authority, we investigate providers who may far exceed the limits of their duty of care. If we notice this, we will intervene.

“With this research, we see where, outside of these signals, providers are not doing well. Players must be able to assume that they can play safely. We see that rules need to be tightened, precisely to further promote a safe environment for players.”

A key finding in its report stated that some companies are ‘insufficiently able to intervene quickly or adequately in the event of excessive gaming or a possible gambling addiction.’

Furthermore, based on the conclusions of the investigation, the KSA is adjusting parts of its responsible gambling policy, including strengthening its obligation for real-time monitoring, supplementing rules on indicators that should be included in the assessment of gaming behaviour and the mandatory blocking of accounts of problem players until an intervention has taken place.