The Netherlands Mulls Over Further Gambling Ad Restrictions

The Netherlands is eyeing potential restrictions on gambling ads after officials acknowledged that the current measures might be insufficient. However, critics said that further restrictions would benefit black market operators while making the regulated industry less competitive.

Lawmakers Acknowledged Self-Exclusion Shortcomings

The Netherlands previously outlawed untargeted gambling ads, but some lawmakers believe that they must go a step further, potentially even banning all gambling ads. This comes as newly published parliamentary responses raised concerns over the Netherlands’ safer gambling protocols and existing gaps in Cruks, the country’s national self-exclusion scheme.

State Secretary Claudia van Bruggen emphasized that operators cannot verify the self-exclusion status of all players when publishing ads, potentially exposing self-excluded players to gambling content. In addition to that, Cruks does not exclude players from unlicensed gambling platforms, which are still a problem in the country.

Van Bruggen emphasized that the exposure of vulnerable players to gambling is especially dangerous since it could cause significant harm.

Regulated Operators Say Banning Ads Would Hurt the Legal Market

As mentioned, the Netherlands previously outlawed untargeted ads, such as those appearing across certain media and in public spaces. The country’s three-phase introduction of its untargeted ad ban also saw it outlaw sponsorships of programs, events, and sports teams.

Operators are now required to follow stringent rules on ads and make sure that only people interested in gambling are targeted by their ads. However, the aforementioned gaps show that this is not always sufficient to shield riskier gamblers from harm.

As a result, lawmakers are now eyeing further restrictions, which could even include a blanket ban on gambling ads.

At the same time, industry representatives are wary of further restrictions, since they could undermine the legal industry’s ability to promote itself and, by extension, benefit the black market.

Gambling operators have staunchly rejected the floated idea of a total ban on gambling ads, saying that it would make their platforms invisible, while empowering black market operators who never follow the rules anyway.

The Black Market Remains a Threat

For context, the black market remains a pressing matter in the country, as regulated gaming fails to reach the desired channelization rates. However, that hasn’t stopped the local regulator, Kansspelautoriteit, from taking action.   

The authority recently fined two operators over the provision of illegal gambling. One of these received a record-breaking fine, although the KSA chair argued that it should have been even higher.

For context, Fortaprime was handed a fine of $2 million while Novatech was slammed with a record-breaking penalty of $28.9 million.