The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) announced that it will enforce stricter measures in order to combat illegal gambling machines. This announcement was prompted by the increasing number of reports about violations in the Netherlands.
According to the KSA, the authority continues to receive reports about operator companies that do not comply with the Dutch regulations on a regular basis. Once the KSA identifies a violation, it requires it to be rectified within two weeks.
Under the Netherlands’ gambling rules, companies need at least two permits in order to install a gaming machine in a catering establishment or gambling hall. Companies that wish to offer such products must apply for an operating license from the KSA and secure a presence permit from the municipality where they wish to operate.
The permits handed by the KSA clearly state that gaming machines may only be operated in establishments for which a municipal presence permit has been issued.
The Municipality Permit Is of Crucial Importance
The KSA elaborated that the presence permits are of crucial importance because they are used to address a variety of matters. For example, permit applicants must submit a policy to mitigate gambling harm and prevent minors from using the gambling machine.
To grant permits, municipalities also test applicants’ integrity, as well as the integrity of their leadership and location.
Operators that offer gambling without a permit from the municipality where they operate may lack the aforementioned customer protection measures. According to the KSA, this represents an “unacceptable risk.”
Because of that, the Dutch regulator vowed to continue monitoring gambling machine operators’ compliance and taking enforcement action where needed.
This comes a few weeks after the regulator took action against two unnamed operators for violating regulations prohibiting the use of role models in their advertising campaigns. The Netherlands strictly prohibits advertisements that feature people who may appeal to younger audiences and prompt young adults and minors to gamble.
Speaking of minors, a recent study showed that many illegal operators in the Netherlands can be easily accessed by younger audiences, even those that aren’t authorized to play. In the wake of these findings, the NOGA and VNLOK expressed hope that the Dutch regulator will take quick and decisive action.
