Dutch gambling regulator warns of unlicensed betting on harness racing

The KSA has issued a warning to gambling operators.

The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit has issued a warning to operators about unlicensed betting on harness racing in the Netherlands. It said that it had detected that one regulated gambling provider was offering bets on the sport.

The KSA said that it received information at the beginning of October to advise that a licensed gambling provider was offering betting on harness racing despite not being permitted to do so. The regulator said that the unnamed operator had immediately stopped the unlicensed offering after being contacted by the regulator. As such, the KSA let it off with a warning. 

“The offer was stopped within 40 minutes after contacting the KSA by the provider and was no longer observed,” the KSA said. It noted that “further investigation” had revealed that no players had actually bet on the unlicensed activity so no turnover was generated.

“Due to the adequate response and direct action of the provider, the KSA has left it with a warning for now,” the regulator said. However, it took the decision to send out a wider reminder to the industry at large. 

It said: “The KSA would like to emphasise that this is a serious violation. The gambling sector is a fraud and addiction-sensitive sector. It is therefore very important that there are rules attached to games of chance and that licence holders adhere to those rules.”

Last week, the KSA raided an illegal bingo event in Dordrecht. It said illegal bingo events were drawing hundreds of customers, including minors. The KSA had already acted against the Dordtse Queens bingo business when it asked Meta to remove advertising for the business from Facebook. However, the regulator said the business continued to advertise and run illegal bingo operations via other pages.