KSA clamps down on unlicensed gaming machines
The Dutch gambling regulator has taken action against 37 catering businesses over illegal machines.
The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator De Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has issued notices to 37 companies that it found to be operating gaming machines without the correct licences. The infractions were found in an investigation of a random sample of 290 catering businesses that had gaming machines on their premises.
All but one of the operators in question have stopped operating the offending machines and the KSA said it plans to impose a penalty on the firm that has failed to comply. The regulator added that the incident may affect its assessment of whether the operator can keep its gaming machine licence.
The KSA explained that premises need both an operating licence and a presence permit.
It said: “The KSA issues operating licences. An operating permit states that exploitation may only take place in places for which a presence permit has been issued.
“A presence permit, which is issued by municipalities, guarantees, among other things, that gaming machines are only present at locations that are mainly visited by adults. These are called high-threshold catering locations. An open gambling machine in a snack bar, for example, is not allowed.”
The KSA emphasised the need for municipal authorities to work in partnership with the regulator.
It said: “The KSA calls on municipalities to actively check for the presence of a presence permit in the case of gaming machines.”
KSA warns operators over insufficient AML compliance
As previously reported, the KSA has sent a warning letter to the Netherlands’ newly licensed online gambling operators over “insufficient” compliance with the country’s Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act.
It said its own probes and data from the Financial Intelligence Unit showed some rules were not being followed correctly.
The main concern was that some operators had been failing to check the origin of customer funds, only carrying out checks when players deposited more than €2,500. It said this figure was far too high considering that the average net monthly salary in the Netherlands is around €2,500.
The KSA has also launched an investigation into the targeting of gambling advertising at minors and young people aged between 18 and 24.
