The Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen (Cruks), the national gambling self-exclusion system in the Netherlands, has halted all new registrations due to a problem with its identification technology.
Dutch gambling regulator de Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) said a malfunction with DigiD, a form of online ID in the country, means it is not currently possible to register with Cruks or for a player to change their registration,
Licensed gambling operators in the Netherlands are, however, able to carry out checks on customers to see if they are registered with Cruks and whether they should be allowed to place bets and gamble.
The KSA added that it is not yet clear when the issue will be resolved and it will issue a further update on the situation today (27 September).
Last month, KSA revealed that registrations for Cruks since the system went live in October last year to coincide with the opening of the country’s regulated online gambling market had topped 20,000.
The Dutch gambling act requires licensed online and retail operators to check Cruks before allowing a player to gamble. As of the end of July, Cruks had been consulted more than 148 million times.
Consumers have the option to voluntarily exclude themselves from online gambling, as well as retail slot machine arcades and Holland Casino’s land-based casinos for a minimum of six months.
Players can also be admitted to the list involuntarily through a request from a partner, family member or gambling provider. The KSA must first approve the application before a player is added to Cruks via this method.
