Dutch gambling regulator fines Shark77

The KSA has fined Shark77 €900,000 for accepting Dutch players.

The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator KSA has fined Malta-based Shark77 Ltd €900,000 for catering to Dutch players without a local licence.

The KSA said: “Casino games and sports betting were offered on the website. No technical measures were taken to prevent participants from the Netherlands from accessing the games of chance.

“A licensed provider of online games of chance has costs that illegal providers of online games of chance do not have to incur. In addition, illegal providers do not pay any tax in the Netherlands and are not restricted in the conduct of their business by the strict rules of the Betting and Gaming Act and the associated licensing regulations.

“This allows illegal providers to offer a different offer, for example by offering games of chance that are prohibited for licence holders.”

KSA chair René Jansen added: “These providers can thus have an attractive effect on players and jeopardise the channelling to the legal offer. We consider this serious and highly undesirable. Dutch players deserve the good protection of providers with a licence from the Gaming Authority.”