KSA shares information about online gambling licences

The Dutch gambling regulator KSA has released more information about online gambling licences in the country.

Netherlands.- Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the gambling regulator from the Netherlands, has released more information regarding the conditions to obtain an online gambling licence in the country. The regulator aims to prepare potential applicants.

KSA says that the information will help potential applicants to prepare for the licensing process that will start as soon as the Remote Gambling Act comes into effect. However, that date is still unknown. The regulator said that it is important to regularly inform market parties regarding the current status of licensing conditions. It believes that doing so will eventually ensure an efficient licensing process in the Netherlands.

KSA will organise workshops for potential licence applicants. “Further information will be provided during these workshops, including the technical requirements that need to be met for a licence. A Central Exclusion Register will be also introduced soon. All operators of games of chance must also store the game data in a Control Database and grant the KSA access to this,” said the regulator.

Key points

The applications will be processed digitally in both Dutch and English, but translations are necessary. The application will cost €45k, and if the licence is denied, the KSA will not refund the money. Applications will only be processed if they have been fully completed and the identity of the applicant is clear and payment has been made.

An independent third party will inspect supporting documents that will be subject to additional requirements. This will be done by an inspection body designated by the Minister for Legal Protection, which is in charge of gambling policies.

There will be four types of games of chance: a licence can be applied for casino games where the players play against the licence holder, casino games where the players play against each other, betting on events during a sports competition or the outcome, and bets on results of horse racing and hard trotting.

“Reliability can be at stake if there are antecedents of criminal, administrative or tax law. This not only concerns the antecedents of the license applicant itself, but also certain legal persons related to the applicant,” explains KSA.

A condition for obtaining a license under the Remote Gambling Act is that the applicant has a policy plan stating how he ensures that employees have and keep appropriate knowledge in the field of gambling. “In this context, think of knowledge of relevant laws and regulations, addiction prevention, consumer protection and financial regulations.”

To be eligible for a license under the Remote Gambling Act, the applicant must have a representative in the Netherlands in the field of addiction prevention. Furthermore, the applicant must have an addiction prevention and training policy.