KSA orders operators to stop gambling ads on World Cup prediction game

The Dutch gambling regulator has warned operators that the advertising breaches Dutch law.

The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has reported that it has had to have words with at least two licensed gambling operators over advertising during the FIFA World Cup. It said it had found operators breaching marketing rules by advertising on sites offering free-to-play prediction games for the tournament in Qatar.

The KSA said that such advertising placements were prohibited because there was a likelihood that minors would play the game. The sites in question reportedly include Scorito, a pools site that allows players to create fantasy league games and predict the outcome of sporting events.

The operators warned are reported to include the state-controlled Nederlandse Loterij and Betcity. The latter was said to be surprised that the ad placements were not allowed. “We carried out an assessment beforehand which showed that we didn’t reach many young adults on the site,” a spokesman said.

KSA chair René Jansen told NOS: “There are still two weeks to go and this is the most exciting phase of the World Cup. The number of people who want to place bets is high. We need to stay on top of it.”

The KSA said both operators had now withdrawn the offending ads.

Other World Cup warnings

Meanwhile, the KSA says it also warned several operators about using role models in advertising. Since July, it has been forbidden for gambling branding to appear in the same communications as the image, voice or name of any role model. It also warned an operator about advertising sports betting after a match had begun.

Finally, the regulator said it had ordered a café to stop taking bets on the Netherlands’ World Cup matches without a licence. The Netherlands’ national team will play in the World Cup quarter-finals against Argentina tomorrow (Friday).

Just prior to the World Cup the KSA had warned operators for taking bets on yellow cards.

Earlier this week, the KSA told Holland Casino to remove all adverts for its land-based casinos from its igaming site. In October last year, the KSA found that the site had links that provided information on the location of its land-based venues.

The state-controlled operator has 14 land-based casinos across the Netherlands. It launched online gambling when the Netherlands’ regulated igaming market opened in October last year. Article 4.2, paragraph 5 of the Dutch Remote Gaming Act states that online gaming licensees cannot advertise services and goods other than those covered by its igaming licence.