The KSA, the Dutch gambling regulator, has taken action against two online operators for offering loyalty programmes that targeted young adults. One provider immediately complied and withdrew its programme, while the other had to be threatened with regulatory action before closing its scheme. Both operators offered loyalty programmes on their websites to all players, regardless of age. These programmes are classified as advertising in the Netherlands and are not allowed to target young adults. The KSA contacted the licensed operators to address their activities. Although neither programme paid out saved balances, they still allowed users to save, rendering it an advertising activity against the regulations. The KSA closely monitors providers to ensure they do not target young adults with advertising such as loyalty programmes. Non-compliant operators risk enforcement action by the KSA.
Last week, KSA chair René Jansen announced that the regulator has initiated an investigation into operators that have not implemented the required duty of care for their players. At the 2022 Amsterdam Gambling & Awareness Congress, Jansen stated that the regulator aims to introduce mandatory maximum limits on gambling spend. Currently, players can set their own deposit limits, but there is no specific maximum limit, allowing for excessively high limits. Jansen also expressed concerns about the failure of some Dutch-licensed operators to fulfill their duty of care towards their customers. Consequently, the regulator has launched a comprehensive investigation into how operators implement their duty of care.
