Netherlands Gambling Authority enhances oversight ahead of Euro 2024
The Netherlands Gambling Authority announced that it would take several measures to better protect players ahead of a summer filled with major sporting events, including Euro 2024 and the Olympics.
First, the regulator has launched a prevention-focused campaign that was developed in cooperation with the country's national gambling helpline, Loket Kansspel. The campaign specifically targets young adults and aims to raise awareness of the risks associated with gambling.
Second, players who contact Loket Kansspel will be offered a free subscription to Gamban, a tool that is designed to block all gambling software on smartphones, tablets, or personal computers.
Finally, the regulator announced that it would step up its enforcement measures against illegal or excessive advertising and gambling offerings.
The regulator's efforts appear particularly relevant as a recent survey revealed that six out of ten young adults (aged 18-24) would at least consider betting on a sports event this summer.
Dutch charity lotteries lack effective age verification
Dutch minors can easily participate in lottery games despite not being of legal age.
As several Netherlands-licensed charity lotteries, including Postcode Loterij and Vriendenloterij, do not make use of age verification tools, minors can easily order lottery tickets online.
The Netherlands Gambling Authority has started an investigation, a spokesperson said.
In related news, the Dutch Lower House recently adopted a motion that would exclude door-to-door lottery sales from a mandatory reflection period, highlighting the strong political support for the lottery sector.
Open Government Act request reveals KSA's approach to market supervision
On June 17, the Netherlands Gambling Authority published a series of documents after receiving a request under the Open Government Act on a) stake limiting (more on this below); and b) rule violations by and/or complaints made against Circus.nl.
Although the documents reveal that the regulator found no regulatory violations by the operator, the published documents nonetheless provide some insight into the Dutch regulator's approach to market supervision.
Upcoming events
The following event(s) may be of interest to the GiH community.
The trade show iGB L!ve returns to Amsterdam from July 16-19.
The 14th European Conference on Gambling Studies and Policy Issues, organized by the European Association for the Study of Gambling (EASG), will be held September 10-13, 2024, in Rome, Italy.
The 2024 Gaming in Germany Conference returns to Berlin on November 5, 2024. Save the date!
KSA: “Reducing maximum stakes not prohibited”
Netherlands-licensed bookmakers are not prohibited from limiting the maximum stakes of successful sports bettors, according to an email sent by the Netherlands Gambling Authority to a disgruntled player.
The email and other documents were made public on June 17, following a request under the Open Government Act.
A KSA public relations official clarified the regulator's position as follows:
“Under prevalent gambling laws and regulations, there exists no obligation for license holders to accept every player who wants to register as a player. There is also no prohibition on limiting bets. [...]
“The Netherlands Gambling Authority is not authorized to create additional rules or regulations. This is up to the legislator.
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