Netherlands prepares to introduce stricter rules for online gambling
The new rules would take effect in late 2024.
The Netherlands.- The Dutch Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind has outlined a proposed change of rules for online gambling. He wants to ensure a “personal moment of contact” if players want to raise their monthly limit over €350 euros (€150 euros for under 24s).
Players would be allowed to set their limits, with no hard limit on spending for now. A spokesperson for the minister said that option was being looked into but would require a legal change. He also stressed that the pages where players set their limits must have a “neutral” look and feel like “the most boring internet page on Earth” to avoid “players being lured by things like pictures of money and expensive cars.”
He said that players would automatically be logged out automatically if they exceed their play or time limit. The new rule will not come into effect until at least autumn of 2024.
Earlier this week, the Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), updated its guidelines on how operators should ensure they comply with the Netherlands’ Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Prevention Act, which has seen several updates in recent years.
Based on research, feedback and questions from licensees, it has introduced new guidelines on risk management, customer due diligence, reporting suspicious transactions, record keeping and the supervision and enforcement of regulatory measures. There are new obligations for monitoring and intervention in cases of signs of gambling addiction or compulsive gambling among customers.
The KSA said it deemed new guidelines to be necessary because there was confusion among operators due to the crossover between monitoring requirements for gambling harm and their duties under the Money Laundering Act.
In September, the KSA issued notifications relating to breaches of the Netherlands’ Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Prevention Act for the first time. It found that Betent and PlayNorth Limited had taken insufficient steps to meet their obligations.
