Dutch regulator fines Kindred

The Dutch gambling regulator KSA has imposed a fine of €470k on Trannel International Limited, a subsidiary of Kindred Group.

Netherlands.- The gambling authority from the Netherlands, Kansspelautoriteir (KSA), has revealed that it imposed a fine of €470k on Trannel International Limited. The company, which is based in Malta, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kindred Group.

KSA found that Trannel offered online gambling to Dutch consumers through unibet.eu for a few months in the second half of 2018. Based on current Dutch regulations, offering games of chance without a proper licence is illegal.

The site featured roulette, poker and sports betting services. It also offered a chat service in Dutch where players could pay through the Dutch online payment service Ideal, Dutch News reported.

After the KSA fine was imposed, Kindred released a statement saying that it respects any requests from the regulator and is fully compliant with the rules set out by the Ministry of Justice and Security.

“Kindred remains committed to having a constructive dialogue with the regulator and other stakeholders. While anticipating the establishment of a regulated online gambling market in 2021, Kindred aims to play a leading role in promoting Dutch gambling policy objectives, such as consumer protection. For instance, Kindred emphasises its ambition to reach zero per cent revenue from harmful gambling by 2023,” said the company.

However, it also announced that it would appeal the KSA ruling while awaiting the secondary legislation from the Ministry of Justice and Security as well as the KSA’s publication of the policy rules on license application and requirements to establish increased clarity on the license application process.