The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has imposed a record fine of €37 million on EOD Code SRL for operating unlicensed online gambling services targeting Dutch players. This enforcement action represents the largest fine the KSA has issued to date, stemming from an extensive investigation that uncovered the unauthorized provision of gambling platforms accessible to users in the Netherlands.
The KSA's inquiry revealed that EOD Code SRL operated a network of over a dozen gambling websites, including notable platforms such as Instantcasino, Skyhills, Slotmonster, Betiro, Betblast, Fastslots, Goldenpanda, Sambaslots, Winningz, Incognitocasino, Foxygold, and Luckypays. Importantly, these sites permitted Dutch residents to place bets without holding a valid Dutch license, thereby violating national gambling laws.
Investigators from the KSA confirmed that bets could successfully be placed from within the Netherlands on numerous sites within this network. This accessibility clearly contravenes regulations designed to ensure that only licensed operators can offer gambling services to Dutch users.
The KSA raised alarms over several aggravating factors associated with these sites, particularly their inadequate or unclear age verification procedures, which undermine efforts to prevent underage gambling. The issue of underage gambling has been a persistent challenge for the KSA. Earlier this year, Meryam Sümer, a politician from the Christian Democratic Party, proposed raising the minimum legal age for online gambling from 18 to 24, citing a growing debt crisis among youth. With one in five young individuals in Enschede reportedly in debt, Sümer urged for stricter regulations to reduce gambling temptations that contribute to these financial issues. “The key is to reduce temptations,” she stated, advocating for measures to protect youth from exposure that may lead to problematic gambling or debt.
Additionally, the operator facilitated various payment options, including cryptocurrencies and other anonymous channels. The KSA warns that these payment methods heighten money laundering risks and complicate the enforcement of consumer protections.
Under current Dutch gambling law, the KSA can impose either fixed administrative fines or revenue-based penalties when the operator's illegal earnings warrant a higher fine. In this case, the regulator assessed EOD Code's substantial income from Dutch bettors as a justification for the hefty sanction proportionate to its revenue.
Despite this significant enforcement action, the fight against illegal gambling is ongoing. A recent Dutch study found that popular generative AI chat and search assistants frequently direct users to online gambling sites that lack official Dutch licenses. Ten tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, and Meta AI, named at least one non-licensed operator in conversations, with eight responding with such names to neutral or leading queries without explicit research intent. Four tools, including Mistral Le Chat, Google AI Mode, DeepSeek, and Grok, generated names of unlicensed sites after just one question.
