KSA raises illegal online gambling penalties

The Netherlands gambling authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has published updated interim penalty policy rules effective March 1, 2019 in which illegal gambling operators targeting Dutch consumers will be subject to a base penalty of Euro 200,000 across the board, previously Euro 150,000.

The severity of the infraction will influence the ultimate penalty including the number of websites, the number of games, the level of prize value and bonuses, among other criteria.

The KSA will apply an additional Euro 75,000 to each of the following circumstances:  Live betting, calculation of costs for inactive players, and making misleading statements on licensing, problems the authority says it is repeatedly faced with.

The increase in the base fine is an interim step the KSA said, implemented while the penalty policy undergoes a thorough revision.

“The fines we used were not terrifying enough,” René Jansen, chairman of the board of directors of the KSA, said.

“Illegal operators of games of chance continue to determinedly fight the KSA. The intention of the [recently passed] law is to create an attractive legal online gaming offer, which makes it possible for consumers to play safely on a fair market. There is no room for illegal providers. That is why we intend to thoroughly review our penalties policy for the future. The updating of the fines policy is only the first step.”

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