Dutch regulator fights illegal online gambling
The local gambling regulator KSA has fined two companies in Malta for offering online gambling to consumers in the Netherlands, which is illegal.
Netherlands.- Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling regulator, has announced that it has fined two companies from Malta. The operators were offering online gambling to Dutch consumers, which is prohibited by law if they don’t hold a licence to do so in the country.
Royal Panta Limited and LeoVegas were fined €400k and €350k respectively fo offering online gambling in the Netherlands. An investigation from the KSA showed that in the second half of 2018 and early 2019, the companies focused on offering online gambling in the Netherlands. This is despite a clear prohibition to do such a thing without a licence.
Both sites also allowed local customers to pay with the Dutch iDEAL payment method, the investigation revealed. Numerous games of chance appeared on the sites of the companies, including casino games, virtual slot machines and sports betting.
While online gambling is currently legal in the Netherlands, the Remote Gambling Law passed earlier this year is still being worked out. In the upcoming months it will be possible to apply for a licence in the country, but it still remains illegal now.
“KSA takes action against illegal providers because there is no check on the fairness of the game. It’s also impossible to check whether vulnerable groups, such as minors, participate or not,” said the regulator.
Gambling revenue in the Netherlands tops €2 billion in 2018
The gambling industry in the Netherlands has accomplished a new record in 2018. During last year’s operations, the Dutch gambling market generated €2.05 billion in revenue. This is the first time that the gambling market surpasses the €2 billion mark.
According to the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS), revenue increased 11% from €1.85 billion in 2015. That was also the year that the government body published market data for the last time. Moreover, the number also increased by €50 million when compared to 2017’s.
Consumer spend drove the revenue growth as it increased 12% from 2015 to €2.5 billion. The revenue also helped increase tax income from gambling in the Netherlands. The industry contributed a total of €529 million in tax in 2018, up from 2015’s €476 million.
