Dutch gambling regulator raps operators over advertising and duty-of-care failings
Toto Online has been warned over ad breaches while 711 has been fined over duty-of-care failings.
The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has taken action against two of its licensees in separate compliance cases. It’s issued a warning to Toto Online and a fine against 711 for breaches of regulations.
In the case of Toto Online, the digital arm of the state lottery operator Nederlandse Loterij, was reprimanded for again falling foul of the Netherlands’ ban on using role models in gambling advertising, which has been in force since before the regulated online gambling market launched in October 2021.
Some eight professional football clubs in the Netherlands shared social media posts promoting a Toto campaign offering fans the chance to win a player‑signed shirt if they placed a €5 bet. The KSA reminded Toto that active or former footballers, influencers and public figures cannot be used directly or indirectly in gambling marketing, due to the risk of appealing to minors and young adults.
Ella Seijsener, the KSA’s Director of Licensing and Supervision, stressed the heightened risk during major tournaments, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which began yesterday (June 11). The Netherlands will face Japan on Sunday (June 14).
“The temptation to gamble on sports matches increases around major sporting events. We see that more money is being wagered and that young adults in particular underestimate the dangers. This is why we are maintaining extra oversight of compliance with advertising regulations, especially during this period.”
711 fined after duty‑of‑care failures
Meanwhile, the operator 711 has been fined €886,000 for failing to meet Dutch duty‑of‑care requirements between February 2022 and June 2024. The KSA examined 10 player files on customers who had incurred high losses, gambled repeatedly over several days and played late at night – three behaviours seen as red flags for problematic behaviour. Violations were found in all ten cases reviewed.
According to the regulator, 711 had failed to adequately monitor gambling patterns or intervene when behaviour escalated, allowing players’ activity to grow out of control.
KSA Chairman Michel Groothuizen said: “We have observed that not all providers implemented their duty of care equally well from the opening of the market. We therefore conducted additional investigations, which are now resulting in various duty of care fines. At the same time, we have further tightened the requirements regarding the duty of care to prevent excesses such as those we are seeing here in the future.”
