KSA sanctions Winning Poker Network for operating without a licence
The company was issued a €1.2m fine.
The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has fined Winning Poker Network (WPN) €1.2m for operating illegally by allowing Dutch players to access online poker games without the required license.
The KSA’s investigation revealed that Dutch players were able to access the AmericasCardroom.eu (ACR) website, which hosted a range of poker games and tournaments. Additionally, several other websites, including TruePoker.eu and BlackChipPoker.eu, were also accessible to players in the Netherlands. The KSA had previously flagged WPN’s activity in 2022 and found that despite the lack of a licence, players could create accounts, deposit funds and gamble online.
KSA chairman Michel Groothuizen explained that the authority uses “a penalty to hit where it hurts, in the wallet”. He added: “A penalty order is an effective way to quickly shut down illegal operations. However, these operators should not think that they can simply get away with it, which is why we also impose fines for the violations.”
See also: KSA intensifies efforts to enforce advertising regulations in gambling sector
The KSA’s penalty was increased due to aggravating circumstances, including WPN’s practice of charging Dutch players additional fees for inactivity, and its attempts to present itself as a trustworthy operator by claiming a foreign licence. This kind of consumer deception is particularly serious, according to the KSA.
New fines policy
Earlier this month, the KSA published a new general fines policy outlining guidelines for how it will impose financial penalties on gambling companies. The regulator says the policy should give providers more clarity on how fines are issued.
In force since January 1, the new general fine policy applies to all types of licence violations that the KSA supervises. Separate policies relating to illegal online supply and the illegal exploitation of gaming machines and gambling terminals will continue to operate.
The new policy includes five categories, with a basic fine in each category between €500 (category 1) and €2m (category 5). Fines in the fifth category are only imposed for Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act violations (Wwft violations). For other violations, the highest category (category 4) includes the possibility of a turnover-related fine of 3 per cent of an offender’s gross turnover, which the KSA says is intended to increase the effectiveness of the fine.
