Netherlands Gambling Authority sanctions licensed operator over failure to cooperate with integrity check
The Netherlands Gambling authority has imposed an order subject to incremental penalties on an unnamed licensed operator for its failure to sufficiently cooperate with an integrity check.
Following the recent acquisition of the operator by an international company, the Dutch regulator repeatedly requested information on the directors and officers of the acquiring party to ensure that the license holder continues to comply with Dutch integrity requirements.
According to the Gambling Authority, the supplied information was incomplete, with the result that the regulator issued an order for conditional penalty payments of up to €250,000.
Political group CU reaffirms its commitment to banning all forms of gambling
The CU political group, which despite its small size has had an outsized influence on Dutch gambling policy, has reaffirmed its commitment to banning all forms of gambling. In a recently published vision paper, the group unambiguously stated that “[w]e oppose the toleration or regulation of gambling or drug use.”
Naturally, no details are provided on how (and at what cost) such a prohibition could be effectively enforced.
Jellinek launches e-learning module on gambling problems
Jellinek, leading addiction care specialists in the Netherlands, have launched a new e-learning module on online gambling addiction, which has been financed by the National Gambling Addiction Prevention Fund.
In honor of the launch, a free webinar on problematic gambling will be held on Thursday, September 26. The webinar is aimed at first-line carers, including family physicians, psychologists, and debt assistance providers.
GGL Co-Chair Ronald Benter to headline 2024 Gaming in Germany Conference
The 2024 Gaming in Germany Conference, which is set to take place Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at the five-star Hotel Adlon Kempinski in the heart of historic Berlin, will once again be THE place to meet key decision makers and to get the latest information on Germany's online gambling market.
Confirmed speakers include Ronald Benter, Co-Chair, Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder; Dr. Jörg Hoffman, Senior Partner, Melchers Law Firm; Mathias Dahms, President, Deutscher Sportwettenverband; Dr. Dirk Quermann, President, Deutscher Online Casinoverband; Dr. Andreas Ditsche, CEO, iGaming.com; and many more!
Check our website for more information, or register now: https://bit.ly/GiG2024
Other events
The following event(s) may be of interest to the GiH community.
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.
Over 5,000 operators are expected to attend this year's SBC Summit in Lisbon from September 24-26.
Netherlands Gambling Authority pleads for new powers to combat illegal gambling
Dutch broadcaster BNN VARA recently broadcasted a report on mobile in-game ads that promoted illegal gambling as a solution to financial problems, job loss, and even suicidal ideation.
During the broadcast, Netherlands Gambling Authority Vice-Chair, Bernadette van Buchem called the ads “shocking and outrageous,” but also admitted that the Dutch regulator has only limited tools to its disposal to fight such ads and the offers they promote. “We can impose million-euro fines, but if these companies choose to disregard these fines, it is extremely difficult for us to get their websites offline,” van Buchem said.
To prevent situations like this, all gambling-related advertising should be pre-approved before it can be shown to Dutch consumers, van Buchem said. Additionally, it should become easier to go after facilitators, such as influencers, comparison websites, and app providers.
Van Buchem further said that the Dutch regulator would welcome the power to block illegal gambling websites. “Foreign regulators already have this ability. We very much would like to have this power, too.”
During a plenary parliamentary debate, State Secretary for Legal Protection, Teun Struycken said that the upcoming evaluation of the Remote Gambling Act would offer recommendations on a possible expansion of the Netherlands Gambling Authority's powers.
Other news
State Secretary for Legal Protection, Teun Struycken said in response to parliamentary questioning that there is yet no proof for a causal link between the legislation of online gambling and the increase in problem gamblers receiving treatment.
The District Court of The Hague has upheld the €12,640,000 fine issued by the Netherlands Gambling Authority to Malta-based N1 Interactive.
Netherlands-based transaction specialist Bluem has developed an income check tool. as well as a partially automated tool to contact players about their personal playing limits – both of which are compliant with incoming Dutch regulations.
Reportedly, no less than 60% of Belgian gambling-related web traffic is directed toward illegal websites.
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