Dutch lawmakers are concerned about a rise in gambling activity, and certain operators push boundaries at the expense of all. Minister Franc Weerwind remains composed amid the panicky noise of MP’s demands and irresponsible platforms.
In response to continued pressure from members of parliament, Dutch Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind vowed to investigate the viability of stricter stake and time limits. Weerwind explained that cross-brand limits may be possible now, although it was not possible at the time of launch.
Since the Dutch igaming market launch in October 2021, numerous MPs filed motions to protest what they consider harmful results from a regulated market. Weerwind and the newly regulated Dutch online gambling industry are constantly caught under fire, despite statistics showing successful channelisation.
While starting on the right foot proved highly beneficial for the region, Weerwind must balance legislation with channelisation to prevent tipping the scale in the wrong direction.
Cross-Brand Limits
To a certain extent, the Dutch Gambling Act and Kansspelautoriteit, the Dutch regulator, empower licensed platforms with a spirit of accountability. This step of trust leads to responsible operators teaming up and creating trade groups such as the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) and Vergunde Nederlandse Online Kansspelaanbieders (VNLOK).
The latter includes the likes of Holland Casino and Nederlandse Loterij. Part of its mission is to create an industry code of conduct, allowing responsible operators to follow clear guidelines and make the industry safer. NOGA comprises gambling companies such as Entain, Flutter, Bet365, and Kindred – many forms part of the list of self-excluded operators.
Unfortunately, the more lenient approach from the Dutch government and the KSA allows for loopholes. According to the KSA, there are a few concerning chancers. The Gambling Act stipulates time and wager limits must be in place for players. Findings indicate some platforms allow players to set ridiculously high limits, going against the spirit of the law. Minister Weerwind added:
“For privacy reasons, it was not decided in the Gambling Act to monitor gaming behaviour, including playing limits, across all providers, but I am now investigating whether technology has advanced to such an extent that this mode can still be found specifically for playing limits.”
He ordered an investigation into the possibility of either setting a limit cap or creating a network-wide limit. As he rightfully points out in his responses, the Gambling Act has the main aim of bringing Dutch punters to legal sites. What impact will a more restricted approach have on channelisation?
Stop Advertising Splurges
MP, Michael van Nipsen, called for an outright ban on untargeted advertising. Lawmakers and the KSA all warn that gambling advertisements have been rampant since the market opened in October 2021.
Weerwind attended to some questions on the roll-out of van Nipsen’s motion, which parliament approved late last year. His explanation of the process, and mention of more research, received severe backlash from the Socialist Party and ChristianUnie. Both parties questioned the delay and said:
“The motion was crystal clear: untargeted advertisements for high-risk games of chance are undesirable, and it must therefore be ensured that these advertisements stop as soon as possible. There is, therefore, no need for further research.”
Weerwind’s response to the objections affirms the number one objective of regulated online gambling, as the minister states the necessity of certain ads for successful channelisation. He reiterated he would try to better manage and restrict advertising as soon as possible.
Successful Regulation Hanging in the Balance
The Dutch regulator’s chair made a bold statement that he hopes the Netherlands can be a textbook example of what an online regulated market should look like. So far, the European region celebrates success with impressive player-conversion rates from illegal platforms to licensed operators.
While players from the region await the announcement and launch of more licensed platforms following the expiry of the self-exclusion period, MPs must take care not to push them into the arms of black market providers.
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