The KSA investigated two unidentified operators and found that they had allowed players, including young adults, to deposit and lose large sums of money without taking any action. This was a violation of the country’s Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act (WWFT).
Specific cases of concern included a 21-year-old losing €17,000 in just a few months, a 26-year-old losing nearly €114,000 in a single month, a 23-year-old losing a total of €87,000 over five months, and a 29-year-old losing €27,000 in just two weeks.
The KSA emphasized that licensed operators have a responsibility to monitor their customers’ behavior and take action when they notice any suspicious activity, such as sudden high deposits or potential match-fixing. They are required to report such incidents to the Financial Intelligence Unit Netherlands.
According to the KSA’s guidance on the WWFT, licensed operators should also conduct thorough checks on the source of funds, even if they come from the player’s bank account. This is to mitigate the risk of gambling addicts resorting to criminal activities to sustain their gambling habits.
The KSA expressed serious concern about the possibility of gambling addicts engaging in criminal behavior and will be closely monitoring the two operators for three months to ensure necessary changes are implemented. Another evaluation will be conducted at the start of the next year.