The Dutch gambling regulator – Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) is extra alert in order to stop unauthorised activities by betting providers during the World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Especially during the past couple of weeks, during which the national team of Netherlands advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals rising the football heat in the orange nation. According to the KSA statement although the rules are clear, gaming providers seem to push the boundaries here and there.
Two operators were given a heads up about the commercials in the World Cup prediction game they were using. Due to the prevalence of underage users, the Dutch government has banned this type of advertising. Both companies pulled the advertisements after being contacted by the authority. Many other betting brands were contacted by the KSA to discuss the possibility of using role models in marketing and sponsorship. According to Dutch law, a gambling company’s name or logo cannot appear alongside a celebrity’s likeness, voice, or name in any form of advertising.
Both companies pulled the ads after being contacted by the KSA about the breach. The governing body also cautioned a company for promoting sports betting during a live game. The KSA ruled that the operator in question had broken the rules by advertising their services during the event, and the advertisement was pulled as a result.
KSA also made contact with a café that was accepting bets on Dutch national team matches. Since the regulator had stated that the café’s betting was illegal because it lacked the proper licensing to do so, the café immediately stopped taking bets.
Pre-World Cup warnings
KSA has issued a total of 14 warnings in the weeks leading up to the World Cup, some of which were issued as early as last month. This news comes on the heels of the publication of a new report on KSA by the Dutch government, which found that the organization’s resources were “too limited” to effectively combat illegal online gambling but did not call for an increase in those resources.