The Dutch Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has announced an investigation into illegal gambling promotions published in magazines and online newspapers over the past six months.
The Authority received reports that articles were published enticing readers to play games without registering with Cruks (the national self-exclusion register), which could be particularly harmful to these players.
KSA researchers contacted 42 editors about this issue and urged players to consult the gaming guide; a resource created by the authority listing all licensed providers in the Netherlands.
The investigation into illegal advertisements not only includes articles with links to illegal websites but also articles using promotions, logos, and images of Dutch banks. The severity of the issue has been communicated to the contacted editors, and KSA has also requested the removal of the links. The organization has also received information letters on how to avoid such issues in the future.
Earlier this month, the National Bank of Saudi Arabia fined Sarah Eternal 900,000 euros ($972,000) for illegally offering online gambling through the Casinosky website. The violations included allowing Dutch players to access the site, lack of an age verification system, and options for cryptocurrency betting.
This month, the authority also cracked down on illegal poker tournaments, seizing tens of thousands of euros in cash at multiple venues in Amsterdam, Asten, and The Hague. An organizer was fined 110,000 euros for participating in this operation.
However, fines are not the only work KSA has done this month. The agency has also started to tackle the issue of autoplay in online gambling in the Netherlands, which is strictly prohibited due to its association with problem gambling.
