Responsible Gambling Investigation Extended by KSA
After an initial probe by the Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), into responsible gambling, it has since been revealed that this will be extended following inconclusive findings.
In the investigation, which began in 2022, the Dutch gaming regulator asked online gambling operators and providers for information about their duty of care to players as a way of creating a foundation for the investigation.
Despite this, it was found that there were numerous differences in the ways that providers and operators regarded and handled duty of care and what their interpretation of this was. As a result, it has made it difficult for the KSA to provide sufficient best practice recommendations.
KSA Finds Significant Differences
Since the regulated Dutch online gambling industry was launched in October 2021, it has become one of the most complicated and strictest markets in the world from a legislative standpoint.
Submissions for new licenses to access the Dutch market involve a highly rigorous and time-consuming process, with the KSA looking into every aspect of the company’s history and business practice.
At the top of the list of requirements is a company’s responsible gambling policy, which the KSA takes very seriously, hence the latest investigation.
The regulator has found that there are substantial differences pertaining to the way in which companies take care of the issue of lost wagers, betting frequency, and average betting duration.
Young adults are specifically monitored in the duty of care, but there is no clear approach.
Could Operators Withdraw from the Dutch Market?
Although unlikely, at least for now, it could come to a point where operators may threaten to withdraw from the Dutch market if the red tape continues to thicken.
With the investigation predicted to continue into the latter part of 2023, some operators may end up becoming disillusioned, especially if they are severely hamstrung - especially from a marketing point of view.
What the KSA cannot ignore is the significant amount of income that is generated by the online gambling industry, and it will have to be at least realistic concerning any measures that it imposes following the completion of the investigation.
The likes of Bet365, Unibet, and many others are currently operational in the Netherlands, and it could well be disastrous for the economy if these heavyweights of the industry decide to withdraw from the market.
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