Gambling in the Netherlands: KSA warns three operators over breaches of advertising rules

The Dutch gambling regulator says the operators breached rules by sponsoring sports events and clothing.

The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has announced that it has issued warnings to three operators for breaches of advertising rules. It said the operators had sponsored sports events and related clothing which were visible to minors.

The Netherlands implemented a ban on most untargeted gambling ads from July 1 2023. This bans gambling ads on television and radio, in print and in public places. Sports sponsorship is still permitted, but sponsoring television programmes and events has been banned since July of this year, and there are strict rules intended to prevent sports sponsorship from being visible among vulnerable groups. A complete ban on sponsoring sports venues and clubs is due to come into force from July 1 2025.

The KSA said that one of the operators that have received warnings had a sponsorship deal with a national event that expired before July, but the organiser of the event had continued to use materials showing the operator’s name. The KSA said the operator had its logo removed from promotional materials as soon as it received a warning.

In a second case, the operator was warned because promotional material was visible to children and young adults who played sports at the location of the sponsored event. The KSA said it was operator’s responsibility to check the visibility of sponsorship messages and to ensure they are not visible outside the actual tournament being sponsored.

The last case involved an online sports shop where T-shirts featuring a well-known athlete were sold with the gambling operator’s branding as a shirt sponsor. The shirts were available in children’s sizes, again meaning that the gambling sponsorship was visible to a vulnerable group. The KSA said the operator immediately took action to remove its logo from children’s sizes.

The KSA did not reveal the identities of the operators involved in the breaches but said it had made the cases public to provide a reminder about the new rules. 

It said: “In sports sponsorship, providers may not target vulnerable groups, including minors and young adults. It is the responsibility of the gaming provider to adhere to these rules at all times, even if third parties are involved. We have seen this go wrong several times. In these three cases, the KSA once again explained the rules regarding sponsorship to providers. In the event of any subsequent violation, the KSA may take enforcement action.

“It is up to the provider to make clear agreements with external parties. This includes the use of sponsored materials, the time at which messages are shown, and the way in which they are distributed. In addition, it is up to the provider to ensure external parties adhere to these agreements.”

A report from the research agency Screenforce has found that the Dutch TV advertising market contracted following the ban on gambling advertising imposed in July 2023. The report found that €426m was spent on TV advertising in H1 of this year, down 3 per cent from the same period in 2023.

Meanwhile, the Dutch Association of Mental Health and Addiction Care (De Nederlandse ggz) has called for the introduction of a complete ban on online gambling advertising in the Netherlands. It claims such a move is necessary to protect young people and people at risk of addiction.