Opposition parties in the Netherlands have put forward a proposed motion to significantly clamp down on online gambling.

Mirjam Bikker and Sarah Dobbe, the respective leaders of the ChristenUnie (CU) and the Socialist Party (SP), have argued that the rate of problem gambling among Dutch citizens has increased in proportion to the number of players since the online market was re-regulated in 2021.

Both parties stated that since the reform’s introduction, around 450,000 new gamblers have joined the market and that young adults, generally 18- to 21-year-olds in the Dutch context, account for around 22% of all current online gambling accounts.

Bikker said: “The slot machine is now literally in your pocket, and in shopping streets you see gambling ads everywhere. It is time for a complete advertising ban.”
 

Opposition calls for a stronger regulator

Besides the blanket ban on online gambling ads, Bikker and Dobbe have also called for updates to the national self-exclusion scheme Cruks, with the minimum self-exclusion period being brought up from six to 12 months.

Regarding operators found to be in breach of the gambling framework, the opposition duo also wants expanded powers for the regulator, the Kannspelautoriteit (KSA), to issue penalties of up to 100% of the operator’s annual revenue – as opposed to the current maximum cap of 10%.

This follows last week’s record €25m fine imposed by the KSA on Novatech for illegally targeting the Dutch market without a valid licence. 

In light of the fine, KSA Chairman Michel Groothuizen commented: “A fine of €24m sounds impressive, but without the maximum of 10% the fine would have come to more than €100m; an amount that would be better suited to this violation.”

If the fines are amended in line with the SP and the CU proposal, it still raises the question of how they will be enforced for offshore operators. In Novatech’s case, the firm surrendered its Curaçao licence shortly after the KSA decision, which further limits the regulator’s already limited options when pursuing penalties.

Similar questions and wider player protection measures are still being pondered upon in the Netherlands, given that the Remote Gaming Duty (KOA) Act reforms introduced back in 2022 are continuously being implemented.

With a brand new government now in power following October’s snap elections, the Dutch market will certainly look much different at the end of this year.

 

 

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