Dutch regulator urges Senate to fight illegal gambling

The Gaming Authority urged the Senate in the annual report to take a stand against illegal gambling in the territory.

Netherlands.- Board Chairman of the Gaming Authority Jan Suyver said in the Annual Report 2017 that the Gaming Authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) needs the Remote Gaming Act to really take a stand against the illegal online offer of games of chance.

Suyver made sure to cite the ruling of the Administrative Law Division of the Council of State dated December 27th as an example of how much their hands are tied when it comes to battling illegal online gambling, which is currently working under a 1964 gambling law. The regulatory body from the Netherlands called on the Senate to pass the act that would regulate online gambling operations in the country, as it is one of the few that still hasn’t legalised online games of chance.

In the December ruling, it was established that the Dutch regulator had to cease targeting gambling payment providers and that they may continue processing transactions from internationally licensed gambling websites.

The regulator argued in court that the provision of payment services to games of chance sites falls under the ‘promotion’ of games of chance – an activity that is prohibited under the Betting and Gaming Act. The Council of State did not take part in this, because this is not described in the law ‘accurately, clearly and unequivocally’.

“This proves once again that the Gaming Authority needs the new law to be able to really combat illegal supply. The Gaming Authority has done what it could – and will continue to do so – in an enforcing sense.”