Inadmissible gambling advertising in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, the licensed online gambling providers were warned due to inadmissible advertising. This emerges from a report by the Kanspelautoriteit (KSA). The Dutch gambling authority had looked at the advertising and marketing activities of all digital license holders for several months and came to the conclusion that there are considerable defects in all eleven providers. The consequence of warnings have been given.

Violation of youth protection

Since April 2021, the law “Wet Kanspelen op afstand” (KOA) has been in effect in the Netherlands, which regulates and controlled the local online gambling market. Licens owners who have been able to operate on the market with their official license since October 2021 must adhere to the requirements of the new legal framework, who grants many freedom to the providers, but rules with a hard hand in some areas – for example in the protection of minors.

Exactly in this area, according to KSA, the currently eleven license holders would have allowed themselves several missteps. The possible advertising and marketing activities were overwhelmed and clearly addressed Minors as a potential target group. Since the player and youth protection plays a superordinate role in the new online gambling legislation, the corresponding violations would not be tolerated. The Dutch gambling authority emphasized in its report that there would be sensitive punishments in the event of repeat.

Market participants. Since February 2023, the Dutch online gambling market has had a total of eleven licensed providers that combine around 16 websites. In addition to several Dutch casinos, “Play North Limited”, “Hillside Plc.”, “NSUS Malta Limited”, “Livescore Malta Limited”, “Joi Gaming Limited” and “International Malta PLC.” have a state license.

Advertising practices must be changed

In its report, the KSA calls on all its license holders to rethink and change their current advertising practices. The current approach is not portable and set a Potential danger for children and minors young people but.

In three cases, the Dutch gambling authority would have found serious defects. In this way, the respective providers would have switched their advertising on channels that targeted for a minor audience are. Specifically, it is the official Donald-Duck website of the Netherlands, the TV game show “Marrobleia” and the YouTube channel “Teentok”. The KSA immediately asked the corresponding gaming providers to fundamentally change their advertising strategy.

Gambling advertising on YouTube. Some time ago, YouTube had reorganized his advertising guidelines, which also affect the gambling industry. In principle, it is allowed on the video platform to switch ads for online gambling. However, some things have to come together. The respective provider must obtain a certificate on Google and identify itself as a serious platform. YouTube also adapts to the national laws of the country in which advertising is broadcast.

With seven other license holders The Dutch gambling supervision Also denounced the advertising practices and classified as non -durable. However, the respective offenses are not to compare with the three extreme cases. The KSA did not make a specification of the violations. The last provider easily exceeded the legal framework and had to make only a few adjustments.

Violations are repeated

According to the official information from the KSA, inadmissible advertising and marketing practices in the Dutch gambling market are not uncommon. In the past few months, the authority has regularly warned for your advertising measures. The violations would happen both online and offline. A bookmaker was only punished in December 2021, since he had embedded betting odds as a link on a news platform that led directly to his own website.

In the event of repetitions, the KSA does not leave it in the event of a warning, but rather express sensitive fines. There has not yet been a license withdrawal, but this step was also conceivable as the last consequence. The extent that the pronounced punishment accepts always depends on whom the advertising addresses is. The law is not fun for children and adolescents.

Renè Jansen, chairman of the KSA, explains:

“The protection of risk groups such as minors, young adults and endangered players is a top priority for the KSA. They are particularly susceptible to the development of a gambling addiction and must therefore not come into with gambling advertising. The law places high requirements here that must be observed. Licenses are responsible for their advertising activities, even if this is outsourced. ”– René Jansen, Chairman of the KSA, Official press release from the KSA

Even before legalizing the online gambling game, the KSA had his hands full and repeatedly gave warnings and fines. The new legal framework, however, gives the gaming authority more powers of what greater room for maneuver enables. At the same time, the demands for the preservation of a Dutch gambling license have increased enormously. Many well -known Industry representatives have already been pushed by the market. It remains to be seen whether there will also be providers without Dutch license as it is in USA Online casinos without American license are.