Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling regulator, has imposed sanctions including a cease and desist order to organisers of a commercial online bingo and a commercial online lottery.
Luxury Bingo, which featured on Facebook, and BSB Shop, also organised on the social network and Discord, have been ordered to stop operating after repeatedly being caught without a licence.
BSB Shop, the online lottery, organised its draws via Facebook and was warned by KSA to stop. However, the organisers instead moved the lottery from Facebook onto Discord, a team chat provider.
The Bingo company was warned it was in breach of Dutch gambling laws and ordered to close down and initially ceased its bingo games. A few months later it emerged Luxury Bingo was operating once more.
As such, KSA has imposed a fine of $3,000 for each breach of regulations they have been found guilty of up to a total of $30,000.
Similarly, BSB Shop has been fined, but the KSA issued a larger punishment of $7,000 per violation up to a maximum of $30,000.
A KSA statement read: The KSA takes action against illegal games of chance. It is prohibited to offer a game of chance without a license.
“Participants in illegal games of chance are not assured of a fair game: is the drawing fair, are there real prizes, is there no question of fraud, do the organizers not engage in self-enrichment? The Ksa therefore warns consumers against participating.”
