As online gambling activities such as casino gambling and sports betting gain traction, concerns about problem gambling are intensifying. The Netherlands Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has disclosed key facts regarding a fresh investigation into problem gambling prevention and awareness, emphasizing that additional measures are needed to curb harm and addiction.
This recent research was revealed by the Dutch gambling watchdog on Tuesday, involving ten officially licensed operators who have been offering iGaming services since the market opened on October 1, 2021. The primary objective was to verify whether these operators comply with the principle of care and actively work to guard at-risk or problem gamblers, as well as identifying players who might be grappling with a gambling addiction.
Upon completion of their research, the KSA declared that a hefty number of operators scrutinized demonstrated an inadequate capability to react swiftly and appropriately in cases of gaming overindulgence or potential gambling addiction. Deficiencies in the real-time monitoring system, as well as issues in the monitoring methodology, were identified as possible reasons for this.
The KSA also noted instances where numerous iGaming providers adopted a unilateral approach that centered primarily on deposits, wagers, or losses, over essential shifts in gaming behaviors such as the increase in gaming hours. Such a lopsided approach resulted in operators overlooking problem gamblers, the Authority clarified.
Preserving Player Security is Paramount for the KSA
The KSA’s Chairman, René Jansen, underscored the regulator’s commitment to ensuring player safety. He voiced concerns about operators surpassing their obligation of care and insisted that the KSA would step in when required.
According to Jansen, the implications of the new survey illustrate that not all providers are performing optimally. He stressed that players should be confident about their safety and that tighter rules are needed to foster a safer environment. “We perceive the necessity to make the rules more stringent to foster a safe environment for players,” he concluded.
“Player safety is our top priority. We are receiving alarming reports and, as the regulatory body, we investigate firms that may profoundly exceed their duty of care. If we notice this, we will intervene.”
René Jansen, Chairman of the Gaming Authority
In the aftermath of their investigation, the KSA declared that it would bolster its in-house policies related to player protection and propose amendments to the existing regulations. This entails amping up the Authority’s Responsible Gaming policies to encompass directives for real-time monitoring, the implementation of additional measures for the evaluation of problem gambling, and includes regulations for compulsory blocking of accounts owned by players identified as habitual gamblers, pending suitable intervention.
