Dutch gambling regulator issues new guidance for land-based venues
The regulator identified room for improvement during visits to gaming halls.
The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has issued new guidance to slot machine halls and casinos to improve the implementation of their duty of care. The move comes after the regulator visited venues throughout the country.
The KSA said that while the majority of gaming halls pay attention to the duty of care, the implementation could be improved in certain areas. The guidance does not include any new rules, but is intended to offer practical tools and explanations.
Duty of care for gaming halls
The regulator noted that operators are now obliged to attempt to prevent and limit gambling addiction as much as possible. While it said gaming halls had taken steps to meet this requirement, practice is not always sufficiently in line with the good intentions expressed and what is included in the policy. It says its new guidance was developed based on input from conversations with various stakeholders.
The new guide provides explanations and examples of what gaming halls should do and what the KSA expects from the venues. An overview of frequently asked questions is also included. In addition to the guidance, a poster and an animation have been developed, intended to make employees of gaming halls aware of what the duty of care entails.
At the same time as the duty of care guidance, the gaming halls have also received a Guideline for identity and Cruks check. The KSA said it regularly receives questions from the sector about the Cruks self-exclusion register. The new guide discusses these questions and the most common problems.
KSA chairman Michel Groothuizen said: Certain important factors of the duty of care are easier for online providers to monitor than in the physical casino. In our conversations with owners of gaming halls, we have noticed that they would like to do more with the duty of care, but sometimes still struggle with its correct implementation.
“With this new guidance, supplemented with information material for employees, we give them new tools for this. In this way, together we ensure that players are also optimally protected with physical providers.”
