René Jansen lauds KSA measures as 142 unlicensed operators exit Dutch market

KSA
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René Jansen, Chairman of the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has announced the departure of 142 unlicensed operators since regulation of the Dutch gaming market last year.

Speaking at the Annual Gaming Industry Event in Amsterdam on Friday, Jansen confirmed that 158 illegal providers have been investigated in recent months, resulting in the majority’s offerings becoming inaccessible to the general public. The remaining 16 are set for follow-up investigations, with sanctions still possible following regulation of the market which began on October 1, 2021.

“This was exactly the intention of the new law: the legal offer had to push the illegal offer away,” Jansen said. “With legal providers, the player is assured of a fair game and attention to preventing gambling addiction.”

Prior to regulation, it was estimated that at least one million Dutch people were betting with black online market companies, playing without any protection or supervision and thus creating conditions for people to develop gambling addictions.

Jansen also claimed the KSA is still processing 30 permit applications, 14 of which were added in the final week of March. As suggested on the KSA website, this is “probably related to the end of the leniency period in the context of the Postema parliamentary motion”. This prevented certain providers from being allowed to submit an application, with the strict conditions in place ensuring the success rate of these applications stands at around 33%.

In addition, Jansen expressed his frustration over the lack of control exerted over the supervision of advertising for online games of chance.

Franc Weerwind, Minister for Legal Protection, which is responsible for gambling policy, had announced measures to curb this, but Jansen said he was “disappointed in the fact that the gaming sector has not been able to muster the control that has been requested”.