Revealed yesterday (21 March) by KSA, the research took place over a period of six months. It focused on the promotion of illegal gambling websites in Dutch magazines and online newspapers, in response to reports of such activity.
KSA said its study focused on advertising in the “broadest sense”. This meant the regulator looked at traditional forms of advertising, as well as other forms of promotion within the publications.
During its research, KSA found newspapers and magazines were mentioning websites not registered with Cruks, the national self-exclusion scheme in the Netherlands, in written articles. Publications were also featuring recommendations and logos of illegal providers alongside these pieces.
This led to the regulator’s research team to reach out to certain publications. In total, 42 editorial offices were contacted throughout the study and KSA staff warned them about the dangers of these articles.
The research team also successfully requested all publications that had featured the articles to remove any direct links to unlicensed providers and any affiliate sites promoting their websites. In addition, KSA wrote to all newspapers and magazines to advise on how to prevent violations in the future.
Regulator highlights dangers of illegal gambling sites avoiding Cruks
In its statement about the research, KSA spoke about the dangers of gambling on sites not part of Cruks.
All licensed sites in the Netherlands are required to integrate with Cruks. This allows players to opt out of gambling for set periods of time and prevent themselves from spending more money.
However, websites that do not hold a Dutch licence are not bound by such rules. Therefore, KSA said promoting these operators in newspapers and magazines can increase the risk of harm to vulnerable players seeking a way back into gambling.
“Registration with Cruks allows players to take a break if they feel that they no longer have their gambling behaviour under control,” KSA said. “However, this research proves players are sometimes tempted to gamble illegally and even to play without Cruks without realising it.
“Active promotion aimed at this vulnerable target group is therefore very harmful. Illegal providers do not have a licence and do not protect players against problematic gambling or gambling addiction.”
Regulatory reform for Dutch gambling
The research comes at a time of gambling regulatory reform in the Netherlands. This week, local industry stakeholders presented the Dutch parliament with their recommendations for the pending gambling act reform.
Among those in attendance was KSA, which proposed a new model for advertising gambling products based on their risk profile. This would see higher-risk products face stricter rules in terms of advertising.
The regulator also raised concerns over Cruks, saying it works “poorly” in its current form. It has instead proposed a longer mandatory exclusion period for players involuntarily added to the list.
Other areas of discussion at the roundtable include criticism of the increased gambling tax rate and how the government should be taking firmer action against illegal operators.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/marketing-affiliates/dutch-newspapers-illegal-gambling-promotion/
