Operators hit with fresh Dutch marketing restrictions
Radio, print and out-of-home advertising banned, while the hiring of brand ambassadors to be prohibited
Operators are set to be hit with a raft of new advertising restrictions in the Netherlands less than six months after the launch of the regulated market in the country.
In new measures set to be introduced by the minister for legal protection Franc Weerwind, operators will no longer be able to advertise across radio, print media and in out-of-home settings.
Operators will also be limited to a TV advertising window of 10pm until 6am, similar to the measures in place in Spain.
Weerwind has also sent a letter to the Dutch House of Representatives in which he aims to tackle so-called untargeted advertising in the market.
Weerwind is looking to establish a distinction between advertising for adults and those under the age of 25.
One of these measures is to stop brand ambassadors from featuring in marketing materials for firms due to their popularity with younger people.
In an interview with FD, Weerwind said: “[Brand ambassadors] should not be aimed at young people who are 25 years of age or younger.
“But we see that the sector is stretching the boundaries. They don’t use a well-known footballer of the moment, but ex-footballers who are still very popular with a young audience. My conclusion is that we need to set sharp, clear standards. So, we’re going to stop role models,” he added.
Weerwind said the introduction of new advertising restrictions was also informed by a potential rise in gambling-related harm in the country.
Weerwind said: “I’ve been in talks with addiction treatment centres.
“They have told me that the sheer volume of gambling advertisements leads to unrest among ex-addicts and problematic gambling among people who identify with the role models appearing in the advertisements. That was reason for me not to wait,” he added.
However, despite the ramping up of marketing restrictions, there are no new regulations regarding online advertising.
Weerwind admitted this represented a “hole” in the government’s strategy but he was looking into introducing a time window, similarly to the new TV advertising measures.
He said: “There’s a hole there, I admit that. But it is difficult and complex to counteract that. I sometimes think: couldn’t this have been conceived before 1 October last year? Anyway, we now live in the reality of mid-March.
“I investigate the possibilities offered by the law, and how well they can be implemented. I am now looking at a time window for online banners and videos,” he added.