KSA levies €25m fine package to seven illegal operators in latest clampdown
Dutch regulator metes out financial penalties over cryptocurrency payments and misuse of KSA imagery on unauthorised sites.
The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has issued fines totalling more than €25m (£22.36m) against seven unlicensed operators for illegal offering online gambling in the country.
In a speech at the Annual Gaming Industry Event in Amsterdam, KSA chairman René Jansen confirmed the regulator had issued fines to the operators in December 2022, with six set to be named in due course.
The KSA confirmed Shark77 was one of the seven to be slapped with regulatory action after being handed a €900,000 penalty after operating without a Dutch licence.
Jansen said the €25m fine package was as a result of a new adjusted policy at the KSA which allows the regulator to both increase the basic fine rate and apply a higher fine based on an individual operator’s turnover.
Jansen said: “Never before have fines this high been handed out to illegal online gambling operators in the Netherlands. The sanctions now imposed are penalties for offering games of chance online without a licence to Dutch customers.
“This in itself is subject to heavy sanctions. Our decisions have repeatedly pointed to the unlawful gains of illegal operators.”
Detailing the breaches involving the unnamed operators, Jansen confirmed at least six common failings according to regulation.
These included pre-filled Dutch information, such as the international dialling code for the Netherlands, on sign-up forms and an autoplay or turbo play button.
The regulator also found unfair terms and conditions, including operators not implementing sufficient age verification protocols and allowing prohibited payment methods such as cryptocurrencies.
The operators concerned also unlawfully used the KSA’s logo and imagery on the sites designed to indicate it was a regulated platform.
Jansen concluded his speech by saying that there needs to be mutual respect in terms of the regulator demanding its rules and regulations need to be followed and licensed operators wanting the regulator to clamp down on offenders.
He said: “Gambling industry regulation is based on ‘rules of play’ laid down in laws and regulations. We demand operators to abide by these rules, and they, in turn, rely on us to take action against abuses and illegal operators. Which we do.”
In January, the KSA fined the company behind Jacks.nl, JOI Gaming, €400,000 for breaching advertising rules around marketing to young people.