Dutch regulator and media watchdog sign gambling ad protocol

The Dutch gaming regulator KSA has signed an agreement with the national media commission to monitor gambling adverts.

The Netherlands.- With less than two weeks to go to the launch of the Netherlands’ new regulated online gambling market, the national regulator De Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has signed a protocol with media watchdog Commissariaat voor de Media (CdvM) in order to collaborate on the supervision of gambling ads.

The two bodies will share complaints and alerts they receive about all gambling ads and will consult regularly on trends and developments.

They said the collaboration is designed to better guarantee the security of the media offer and protection of vulnerable groups.

The much-delayed Dutch igaming market is due to open on October 1. Under the Netherlands’ new Remote Gambling Act, KSA monitors gaming advertisements and can adjudge if an advert is misleading or encourages excessive participation.

Meanwhile, CdvM has responsibilities for the regulation of advertising under a new Media Act which enters force on November 1. The act includes rules on when gambling ads can be shown, prohibiting them from television and radio between 6am and 9pm.

The KSA said: “The new rules prompted the Commissariaat and the KSA to start working together more closely. The principles for the cooperation are laid down in a protocol.

“In this agreement, the bodies said they would coordinate complaints and signals about advertising for games of chance and providers of games of chance. In addition, knowledge and information are shared.”

Last week, the KSA launched its new advertising guidance, however, the main online gaming trade group, the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA), has criticised the norms.