The Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, KSA) has ordered the Formula One racing team and the Sauber team not to promote Stake during this week's race in Zandvoort (including the Dutch Grand Prix), as the gambling provider is not licensed in the country.
The Sauber F1 Team participates in most international competitions as "Stake F1 Team" because the gambling provider is the team's main sponsor. However, Stake does not have a KSA license, and therefore is not allowed to offer or promote gambling in the Netherlands.
The Saudi Arabian National Bank notes that the law stipulates that operators in the Netherlands without a license may not offer, promote, or advertise gambling activities.
Therefore, unlicensed operators must "take measures to prevent" players in the Netherlands from participating, such as applying geoblocking to prevent Dutch players from accessing their sites.
Despite Stake's implementation of geoblocking measures, the KSA "still sees participation from Dutch players" and thus considers it "inadvisable to promote illegal gambling at a Dutch event of the scale and influence of Formula One racing, which also attracts a lot of attention from vulnerable groups (minors and young people)."
Consequently, the board of the Saudi Arabian National Team has urgently requested the Sauber team not to compete under the name of Stake this weekend, and has asked the organizers of the Dutch Grand Prix not to advertise for the provider.
Previously, the Sauber team had canceled its sponsorship with Stake and competed under the name Kick Sauber to comply with gambling regulations in certain countries.
