KSA Warns Bet365 over Wrong Affordability Format, Faulty Calculations

The Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit/KSA) announced that it has ordered Hillside, which operates the bet365 brand in the Netherlands, to strengthen its social responsibility (duty of care) protocols. This followed an investigation that suggested the company’s duty of care measures were insufficient.

The Operator Had Inappropriate Affordability Assessment Processes

In its announcement, the KSA noted that an earlier investigation showed that bet365’s social responsibility measures were not in line with the authority’s requirements.

The KSA provided a few examples, citing a case from 2021 when the betting brand asked players to fill out a questionnaire about their income. However, the KSA said that such a format was not suitable for ensuring whether a player can afford to play.

In addition to that, the KSA understood that bet365’s affordability checks calculations were faulty, resulting in incorrectly calculated net deposit limits that allowed players to gamble more than they should.

For context, legal gaming operators in the Netherlands are required to follow stringent social responsibility requirements in order to protect players from excessive gambling. An important part of this duty of care is the monitoring of players and the prevention of overspending. Because of that, operators should implement net deposit limits that vary for young adults (EUR 300) and adults (EUR 700).

Players who wish to raise their limit must undergo an assessment to prove they can afford it. If they cannot, operators should block deposits exceeding the base limit.

Bet365 Must Improve Its Approach

The KSA concluded that Hillside must comply with the duty of care within four weeks of the regulator’s announcement. To that end, the operator must adequately carry out the affordability assessments and make sure whether players can truly afford gambling within the limits they set for themselves.

The KSA added that bet365 should make sure that players who can no longer afford to wager within the limit they’ve set for themselves are no longer allowed to play.

The KSA warned that if bet365 fails to comply with this order, further sanctions may follow. The authority noted that in a worst-case scenario, the operator’s permit to offer online gambling in the Netherlands might be revoked.

The warning aligns with the KSA’s 2026 agenda, which will, among other things, prioritize protecting local players from harm and ensuring that operators follow their duty of care. In addition to that, the KSA said that it plans to double down on stopping the black market, preventing financial crime, and monitoring gambling ads.