KSA Warns TonyBet over Prohibited Betting Markets

The Netherlands’ gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has issued a warning to a licensed gambling operator that offered a prohibited betting product. The violator was reprimanded and asked to take down the illegal offer, although no penalty has been issued as of the time of this writing.

In its official release, the KSA said that the operator in question was TonyBet. The regulator elaborated that TonyBet offered prohibited wagering markets, including bets on he winner of the Ballon d’Or and the winner of the Ballon d’Or at the FIFA Club World Cup.

TonyBet Offered Unauthorized Bets

The KSA emphasized that both offers are prohibited in the Netherlands. The authority explained that the Ballon d’Or and the Ballon d’Or awarded at the FIFA Club World Cup are prizes that are awarded to athletes based on a vote or jury decision. As a result, they do not meet the requirements for legal sports betting per Dutch law.

In the Netherlands, licensed gambling companies, such as TonyBet, may offer sports betting as long as they follow the country’s stringent betting rules. The conditions state that only bets on objective, verifiable performance within official sporting events organized by recognized national or international sports organizations are permitted. Any wager that does not correspond to these guidelines is considered a violation of the law. 

The Operator Was Reprimanded for the Failure

The KSA said that it reached out to TonyBet, which recognized the mistake. However, the operator also noted that no player had actually placed any wager on either of the two markets. Despite that, TonyBet acknowledged that it was at fault and promised to be more vigilant in the future.

The KSA, on the other hand, agreed not to issue further penalties, letting TonyBet off with a warning. However, the KSA emphasized that gambling operators should be more careful about their offerings, even if they are provided by a third-party company.

The regulator concluded that all licensed operators are expected to self-report any such shortcomings.

KSA Reinforces Advisory Board

In other KSA-related news, the Dutch gaming regulator just returned its advisory board to full strength after making two key appointments. According to the body’s official announcement, the experienced Marjolein Hoogland and Ingmar Franken joined the board for an initial term of 3 years.

As members of the advisory board, Hoogland and Franken will have the important task of providing the KSA with precious advice and a second opinion on a variety of matters.

In the meantime, the KSA recently stated that the Dutch tax hike has been a failure, leading to a decline in GGR and, by extension, a decline in taxes.