Hommerson Amusement gains Dutch online gambling licence
The KSA has granted an online licence to the historic land-based gaming operator.
The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator has granted an online gambling licence to the land-based amusements operator Hommerson Amusement BV. The company is a longstanding name in the amusement sector. It has not clarified what brand name it will use to launch on the Dutch gaming market.
Its online gambling licence is the 27th to be issued by the KSA. The Dutch online gambling market launched in October 2021. In July, the Netherlands introduced a ban on all untargeted gambling advertising due to a backlash against the saturation of advertising following the market launch.
More restrictions could be coming. A recent report from the National Rapporteur on Addictions (NRV) has submitted 22 opinions on gambling limits, advertising and addiction prevention policies to the Ministry of Justice. These include a recommendation to introduce mandatory play limits for casino games.
Authored by Dr Arnt FA Schellekens, the recommendation proposes a play limit system based on that of Germany. Schellekens says limits should be placed on the country’s 21 licensed online casinos to protect customers. It suggests that applying customisable limits based on proof of affordability could help avoid the risk of an impact on channelisation.
The NRV has also recommended that the Ministry of Justice review “high-risk games” and restrict or ban games the player cannot influence, such as fruit machines. It suggested advertising exposure should be limited to people actively seeking gambling information.
Legal protection minister Franc Weerwind, who has responsibility for gambling policy, has previously suggested that imposing play limits was not an option in the Netherlands. However, the Ministry of Justice has said that it will look at reforming gambling legislation next year following requests from the National gambling regulator, the KSA.
