Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) has issued a €3.08 million penalty to Chestoption for offering unauthorised online gambling to players in the Netherlands via Vave.com.
According to the regulator, the company, which obtained no Dutch license, targeted the Netherlands through “active advertising and marketing directed at local residents,” with a website that lacked any means of barring local players and contained no mechanisms such as age controls and restrictions, and instead offered a number of feature such asautoplay, turboplay, and cryptocurrencies, among other “harmful gaming features.”
A recent enforcement order against the company was previously issued. The KSA states that its initiatives to prevent unlicensed gambling transcend fines and involve collaboration with payment suppliers, hosting firms, financial institutions, and IT corporations to shut down unlicensed firms.
This fine occurs as the KSA accelerates its enforcement drive, which recently included a public warning issued to Betnation concerning problems with exclusion mechanisms, penalties issued to TOTO Online for infractions related to the advertisements regulations, and an 886,000 fine issued to 711 for responsible gaming infractions.
In parallel, the Netherlands government plans significant reforms to its regulatory system of the gambling industry as it reacts to escalating concerns around gaming addiction and negative side effects. In the scope of the proposed legislative changes, a full outlaw on online gaming promotions will be introduced, a prohibition of bonuses, and stringent payment boundaries unless a participant can prove they have the means to do so.
Moreover, the government is considering granting tighter regulations for access to illegal gambling sites and could even restrict the number of licensed firms that compete in the market.
State Secretary Claudia van Bruggen said:
I find it particularly worrying that more and more people, especially young people, have started gambling online and are getting into trouble as a result. It is high time to reverse this trend,
With the proposed measures, I am taking an important step towards better protecting people against the negative effects of gambling, such as addiction and debt. Special attention is paid to young people and young adults because they are extra susceptible to the risks of gambling.
