The Dutch Regulator Warns Operators over Illegal Bets

The Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit/KSA) has warned licensees over prohibited bets. According to the regulator, several companies were offering wagers on youth and grassroots competitions, as well as in-play bets on incidents such as corners and cards.

Several Companies Offered Illegal Bets

The KSA explained that the violations were discovered during an investigation into the gambling companies in question. While the company did not specify which the operators were, it clarified that the breaches were committed by officially licensed entities.

The investigation found that seven Kansspelautoriteit licensees were offering betting options on matches featuring participants younger than 21, which is strictly prohibited in the Netherlands. Additionally, two gambling operators’ product lineup included bets on prohibited in-game events, such as yellow or red cards and corners.

The KSA understood the illegal bets were offered during soccer matches worldwide during the 2023-2024 season.

The KSA contacted all involved operators, asking them to cease offering the prohibited bets. It added that all providers that have not reported their unauthorized betting offerings had been warned that they must report such violations to the KSA.

The authority concluded that it would perform a check at a later date to confirm whether the companies in question have ceased offering the unauthorized bets. Companies that have not done so risk sanctions, the regulator warned.

For context, the Netherlands prohibits such wagers since they undermine the market’s integrity and carry an increased risk of manipulation. The KSA explained that younger athletes are generally easier to manipulate, while corner kicks and penalty cards pose a high risk of match-fixing.

The KSA Is Committed to Shielding the Market from Violators

In other news, the KSA recently hit Techno Offshore and Novatech Solutions with penalty orders after the two companies were found guilty of offering their products to Dutch consumers despite lacking the necessary license to do so. The regulator told the two entities to immediately cease and desist, lest they face fines of almost $300K a week.

This warning came a week after the KSA slapped Blue High House with a seven-figure fine for similar violations. The authority attributed the unusually high fine to the discovery of additional violations, such as features that encouraged excessive gambling.

In other news, Dutch lawmakers recently proposed a ban on betting ads, as well as a prohibition of betting via credit card in an attempt to get problem gambling under control.