Holland Casino Told Not to Promote Retail Locations via Online License

The Dutch Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), urged Holland Casino, an operator that holds a land-based and online gambling license in the country, to discontinue advertising of its physical locations via its online gambling business.

Online Gambling Licensees Cannot Advertise Retail Locations, Says KSA

On Friday, the KSA published a decision, explaining that Holland Casino, through its online gambling cannot advertise physical casino locations. The decision comes after the KSA probed into the vendor’s operations back in October 2021. The investigation uncovered a possibility that the operator’s online gambling operations contained advertisements or links to its retail locations. This, according to the gambling regulator in the country is in breach of the current regulations.

The KSA said that under the current gambling regulation, online gambling operators cannot advertise goods or services different than their licenses via their websites. According to the Authority, the decision was announced only recently “due to pending procedures.” The issue described by the KSA is in breach of Article 4.2, paragraph five of the Remote Games of Chance Decree.

“In October 2021, the KSA found that the site with which HC offers the possibility of online gambling also contained links that led to information about HC’s physical locations. That’s not allowed; in the Remote Games of Chance Decree states that an online licensee may not advertise services and goods other than those for which the license has been granted on its website,“

reads a statement released by the KSA

The gambling watchdog acknowledged that besides an online license, Holland Casino currently holds a monopoly license for offering retail casino gambling in the Netherlands. Still, it reiterated that the operator cannot advertise its retail locations via its online license. The KSA outlined that Holland Casino has taken relevant actions to discontinue the advertising, ensuring its compliance with the regulations.

“Holland Casino has since taken measures to end the violation,“

explained the KSA

Kansspelautoriteit Continues to Monitor the Market

The KSA’s latest announcement comes after only recently, the regulator asked online gambling operators to stop offering cashback bonuses. Last month, the Authority reminded licensees in the country that such offerings are currently illegal under a Dutch license.

Before that, again in November, the regulator unveiled it has taken regulatory action against one operator. As a result, the KSA issued a fine against Toto Online of €400,000 ($419,410) over advertising to young adults. At the time of the announcement, the watchdog said it uncovered that the operator advertised bonus offers to an audience aged 18 to 23, which is against the existing regulations for gambling advertising.