De Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) announced that it had imposed a EUR4.4million ($4.6 million) penalty on Gammix Limited, after discovering that the operator was providing its services to the public without a license.
This incident was not isolated for the regulator. The KSA has been conducting similar investigations into illegal online casinos providers since the Remote Gambling Act (KOA), was implemented in the Netherlands on April 1, 2021. This is one and a quarter years after the grand opening.
According to the KSA’s latest report, 277 preliminary investigations were made into illegal online sites in 2022. 26 investigations were also conducted into illegal online providers.
KSA Looks Back to 2022 “with Mixed Feelings.”
Rene Jansen, the chairman of the regulator, spoke about 2022 as “the first year that online games were legalized in the Netherlands.”
Jansen had mixed feelings about the development of things. He explained that although many things were going well there was still much to be done.
The chairman spoke also about the original timeline of the Koa Act and its political goal. This was to see at least eight of ten Dutch players choose legal providers within the first three years following the KOA’s implementation.
According to estimates, approximately 85% of online gamblers currently use legal providers in the Netherlands. This was true even though it was illegal before the legalization in the Netherlands of iGaming.
Jansen said that more than 36,000 Dutch citizens had applied for and been granted protection by the central exclusion registry Cruks. This does not permit registered players to play high-risk online games of chance or at amusements or Holland Casino venues.
KSA Fines of EUR29.7 Million (or 31.4 Million) in 2022
The KSA issued 18 intention orders throughout 2022 that were subjected to periodic penalties payments. Seven fines totaling EUR29.7million ($31.4 million) were issued.
In addition to 83 notifications regarding illegal gambling ads on social networks, the regulator received 83 notifications. This represents a significant 71% decrease in numbers compared to 2021. The KSA found 16 violations out of the 59 cases that were investigated last year.
The KSA received 27 online license applications in the same year. This was out of 42 requests that were registered in 2021. Three applications were denied and seven were withdrawn because operators knew their applications wouldn’t progress.
The result was that 13 online gaming licenses were granted to operators who wanted to offer their services to the Dutch market by 2022.
Last year, the regulator issued 45 permits to permit slot machine operation. KSA conducted 89 investigations into the operation of slot machines. Seven of these investigations were rejected, while 26 were completed interimally with no further consequences for the operators.
In 2022, the regulator who turned 10 years old in 2022 issued 47% less lottery licenses than 2021. Last year, 24 licenses were recorded.
Five existing licenses were revoked by the regulator because KSA license holders deemed their lottery sales to be disappointing.
The regulator regularly monitors the 100 most popular gambling sites visited by players from the Netherlands, and takes any necessary action to stop illegal gambling.
