KSA chief criticises Dutch operators on the "edges of the law"
Rene Jansen suggests sector may not be capable of self-regulation as he berates operators for duty of care shortcomings
Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) chief Rene Jansen has warned operators not to look to “make a quick buck” at the expense of player health in the Dutch market.
In a blog post on the authority’s website, Jansen stated that while the market was “going well”, there was “still a lot of work to be done” as he expressed concern that some licensed operators were skirting around “the edges of the law [Remote Gambling Act]”.
Faced with this reality, the KSA chief questioned whether the industry could effectively self-regulate or whether individual suppliers could be trusted to behave responsibly.
“That behaviour should be not looking to make a quick buck without considering the potentially harmful effects of gambling,” Jansen said.
The KSA chief alluded to previous notes of caution made at the Gaming In Holland conference, suggesting that if operators did not take their duty of care seriously enough, government intervention was “the obvious choice”,
He also highlighted recent interventions by Dutch Minister Franc Weerwind to address what he branded a “deluge” of advertising.
“A supervisory authority does not allow itself to be looked into, but what I can say is that this is a two-track policy,” Jansen explained.
“On the one hand, we are launching an in-depth supervisory study in which the addiction prevention policy of all license holders is examined, both on paper and in practice. In addition, the KSA will not hesitate to intervene quickly if there is reason to do so.”
Despite the conduct of certain operators in the Dutch market raising concerns, Jansen suggested that launching a Dutch-licensed igaming and sports betting market was a “wise decision” and would prove to be one in the longer term.
“It [gambling] was already there, but illegally. I would think we shouldn’t be fooled now. The intention was and is to create a safe environment for people who want to participate in an online game of chance,” Jansen explained.
“Legal providers must ensure that safe environment exists and is maintained. A supervisor would prefer to see that this goes smoothly. But if not, then it has to be done in a different way,” he concluded.