As the clock ticks towards a more vigilant era in Dutch gambling, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) isn’t just rolling the dice. This esteemed regulatory body is reshuffling the deck with a major overhaul of its Responsible Gaming Policy. From sharpening duty of care to tightening advertising reins, the KSA’s latest move is more than a mere gamble – it’s a strategic play for safer, more responsible gaming in the Netherlands.
Kansspelautoriteit, the esteemed gaming authority of the Netherlands, has flagged off a consultation period, encouraging voices from the gambling sector to weigh in on its revamped Responsible Gaming Policy. This significant initiative, starting on December 21 and wrapping up on February 1, aims to infuse additional clarity into the duty of care obligations and revamp the advertising guidelines to align with contemporary gaming safeguards.
This policy revamp stems from a detailed KSA survey involving ten gaming entities, dissecting the nuances of duty of care compliance. The survey’s revelations pointed to a lag in the providers’ response to excessive gaming or emerging addiction signs. Responding to these insights, the KSA’s amendments, unveiled in September, are intended to crystallize “open standards in the legislation”, empowering providers to more robustly execute their care duties.
Under the new regulations, providers must promptly, within an hour, detect excessive gambling behaviour, a significant shift from the current trend of delayed or non-real-time monitoring, which often culminates in substantial player losses.
The KSA’s policy update takes a decisive stand on advertising practices. It introduces stringent rules, including a prohibition on using public figures as role models and a blanket ban on indiscriminate advertising, aimed particularly at protecting minors and young adults from casino gambling exposure.
Additionally, the policy sets a new financial threshold: providers must verify income if a player (adults aged 18-24: €300 net deposit) exceeds a net deposit of €700 within a month. This step, however, doesn’t restrict the use of funds already deposited before such verification.
With the close of the consultation period on February 1, KSA plans to promulgate the revised rules in the Government Gazette by April 1. This move echoes the sentiments of the outgoing KSA Chair René Jansen, who, in September, urged Dutch market operators to intensify their commitment to protecting players from gambling-related harm and addiction.
