The Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, KSA) recently issued warnings to two online gambling operators, ZEbetting and Betca, for illegally offering betting markets on individual sets of tennis matches, an act that violates current Dutch gambling regulations.
According to KSA's announcement, the regulatory body discovered during routine inspections that these two operators allowed players to bet on the specific outcomes of sets in tennis matches. Dutch law explicitly prohibits such types of bets because they are more susceptible to manipulation and carry significantly higher risks than betting on the overall results of the matches.
Regulatory breaches have been rectified, KSA demands enhanced proactive monitoring
KSA noted that ZEbetting and Betca had quickly removed the relevant markets upon notification and submitted corrective measures to prevent similar issues in the future.
However, the regulatory authority emphasized that licensed operators must actively fulfill their duty to review and ensure that their platforms do not host prohibited types of bets. Should such markets inadvertently go live, operators must immediately report to KSA and take corrective actions.
Legal Background: Why is betting on match sets prohibited?
Under Dutch gambling law, any event type that can be easily manipulated should not be used for betting. This includes details of a sports match that are of a negative nature or structurally weak—such as yellow cards and corners in football matches, or individual set wins and losses in tennis matches.
The regulatory body believes that such betting items are more susceptible to internal manipulation or external gambling fraud, which undermines the fairness and transparency of the gambling market, especially as they could be exploited by criminal groups for manipulation.
KSA regulatory upgrades comprehensive, accompanying crackdown on unlicensed gambling and illegal sponsorships
This warning comes amidst KSA's efforts to strengthen compliance enforcement across the industry. Just last week, the authority initiated conditional fine procedures against three companies promoting unlicensed gambling services through CasinoScout.nl. Each company could face fines of up to 75,000 euros per week if they continue to violate regulations.
Meanwhile, since the full prohibition of sports gambling sponsorships was officially implemented in the Netherlands on July 1, 2025, KSA reports that the overall compliance within the industry has significantly improved. Nearly all gambling brands have removed their sponsorship logos from sports venues, public events, and professional teams, initially achieving the policy goal of reducing exposure of gambling content to minors and vulnerable groups.
