Dutch gambling regulator publishes new guidance on duty of care issues
The KSA has published new findings from two studies.
The Netherlands. The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has published two new studies and provided additional guidance on the fulfilment of the duty of care by online gambling licence holders. The documents provide insight into practice and offer clarification regarding personal interviews and the submission of notifications for registration in the Central Register for Exclusion from Gambling (Cruks).
The KSA conducted research into these topics in 2025, the results of which were discussed in December during a roundtable discussion with licence holders. At that moment, practical experiences were discussed and bottlenecks were identified. Based on the feedback, the KSA has now drawn up new guidelines to provide more clarity regarding implementation.
Personal interviews with players
The personal interview is a far-reaching intervention that licence holders are required to implement when there is a suspicion of excessive gambling behaviour or gambling addiction. Research shows that licence holders have tended to implement the measure in different ways and that they have encountered bottlenecks, such as a low response rate from players.
The guidance explains, among other things, the timing of the intervention, the form of contact, and the content of the conversation while still leaving room for customisation and professional judgement.
Self-exclusion registrations
The KSA stressed that if a licence holder observes serious signs of problematic gambling behaviour or suspects a gambling addiction, the player must be advised to register with Cruks. If the player does not follow this advice, the licence holder must report the matter to the KSA in a notification. The KSA may subsequently decide to involuntarily register the player in Cruks.
Research found that licence holders had doubts about the implementation of this. For example, they said it was difficult to verify whether a player has actually registered, and not always clear when a notification must be submitted. The new guidance provides a practical explanation, including on the timing of reporting and the information required.
The KSA stressed that the guidelines do not contain new rules, but provide further explanation regarding the application of existing obligations. The aim is to give licence holders more clarity regarding the fulfilment of their duty of care and to make safer play possible, it said.
Last week, the KSA issued a general notice to licensed sports betting operators to remind them of the limits of their licences. It says its supervision work revealed that several providers were offering bets that did not fall within the licensed category of sports betting.
The offerings cited included bets on prize competitions, such as a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. The licence holders involved have been addressed, and these bets were immediately removed, the KSA said.
