The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling authority, has issued a warning to Betca, the operator behind the online casino Circus.nl, following the appearance of unauthorized gambling ads in a mobile game.
Promotional banners for Circus.nl were found in Tiny Tower, a game unrelated to gambling, which promptly drew the attention of the regulator.
Under Dutch law, gambling ads are strictly forbidden in non-gambling environments such as mobile games or general entertainment platforms. This regulation is in place to safeguard vulnerable groups, especially minors and young adults who frequently use these platforms.
By placing ads in Tiny Tower, Betca breached this fundamental rule. As a result, the KSA immediately contacted the company, requesting swift action to address the violation.
Betca admitted the mistake and clarified that the ad’s appearance in Tiny Tower was due to human error. The company stated that the campaign was intended solely for users who had previously visited Circus.nl and had self-identified as being over 24 years old.
Nonetheless, Betca promptly took down the advertisement and confirmed that it has introduced further safeguards to avoid similar incidents going forward.
Given Betca’s swift response and the unintentional nature of the breach, the KSA opted not to issue a fine. However, the regulator emphasized that it will closely monitor the operator’s future advertising activities.
