The Dutch Gaming Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), is taking significant steps to ensure the adherence of gambling operators to its regulations. Recently, the KSA issued a legislative letter requesting an amendment to the law, allowing the use of false proof of identity to effectively catch operators violating its regulations. Moreover, Bingoal, a prominent gambling operator, was fined €400,000 for targeting young adults (aged 18-24) in its advertisements, which contravened the KSA’s regulations aiming to protect vulnerable individuals from gambling addiction.
Bingoal’s Violation and Fines
Bingoal, a major player in the gambling industry, found itself in hot water when it was discovered that the company had targeted young adults between October 2021 and March 2022 with its advertising campaigns. The KSA, concerned about the increased susceptibility of young adults to gambling addiction, imposed a substantial fine of €400,000 on Bingoal for disregarding their regulations. The fine serves as a warning to other operators about the seriousness of complying with the KSA’s guidelines.
The KSA’s Call for Legal Amendments
To better enforce its regulations and crack down on non-compliant operators, the KSA is seeking legal amendments that would permit the use of false proof of identity as a tactic. By law, the KSA is allowed to utilize false IDs to assess operator compliance, but currently, it lacks the legal basis required to access the necessary identity data. The KSA has requested the Minister for Legal Protection, Franc Weerwind, to introduce the changes, enabling the regulator to perform undercover operations more effectively.
The Importance of Data and the Central Register of Exclusion from Games of Chance (Cruks)
The KSA’s Central Register of Exclusion from Games of Chance (Cruks) aims to track individuals voluntarily or involuntarily registered to prevent them from participating in gambling activities. However, concerns have arisen regarding the effectiveness of Cruks due to insufficient data. To enhance its understanding of the system’s impact, the KSA seeks ways to improve data collection, thereby bolstering its ability to protect vulnerable gamblers.
Implementing Regular ID Rotations
To prevent operators from detecting patterns and identifying the KSA’s undercover activities, the regulator plans to implement regular rotations of false IDs. By ensuring a fresh set of identities, the KSA can maintain the element of surprise and conduct its inspections more covertly. This strategy will undoubtedly strengthen the regulator’s ability to uncover non-compliant operators.
The Dutch Gaming Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), is actively engaged in protecting consumers from the harms of gambling addiction while ensuring operators adhere to the established regulations. Through the issuance of fines and the pursuit of legal amendments to utilize false proof of identity, the KSA demonstrates its commitment to effective enforcement. Additionally, with efforts to enhance data collection through Cruks and the introduction of regular ID rotations, the KSA aims to bolster its supervisory capabilities further. By striking the right balance between regulation and innovation, the KSA strives to maintain a fair and responsible gambling landscape in the Netherlands.