SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Dutch gambling regulatory authority, De Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has published its technical specifications and operator procedures relating to its national self-exclusion scheme.
The Remote Gambling Act (KOA) stipulates that all licensed incumbents (digital and retail) must participate in the KSA’s ‘Central Register for Exclusion of Games of Chance’ (CRUKS).
The KSA will initially launch its CRUKS programme for land-based arcade and casino operators on 1 January 2021, as the Netherlands relaunches its regulated gambling marketplace.
The regulator warned all land-based licensees that CRUKS provisions and procedures must be fully operational for the Dutch market’s relaunch date in 2021.
CRUKS procedures will allow Dutch consumers to directly register for self-exclusion from gambling services.
All licensed operators must offer ‘registration on an involuntary basis’, with self-exclusion allowed to be requested by a partner or relative of the customer.
Once registered, a player will be self-excluded from all gambling contacts for a minimum period of six months, with customers able to request longer withdrawal terms.
All licensed operators must cross-reference player data with the CRUKS database before allowing a customer entry to a land-based gambling venue or registration to an online gambling domain.
The KSA will track all self-excluded players through their Dutch ‘Citizen Service Number’, verifying name, date of birth and address.
Allowing land-based incumbents to prepare for market relaunch, the KSA will launch a CRUKS test environment on 13 July.
As yet the KSA has not launched its test requirements for digital operators, wishing to join the Dutch regulated online gambling market from July 2021.
Further to its technical requirements, this week the KSA notified that it had launched its tender process to operate its national problem gambling helpline.
The service will offer gamblers access to treatment, advice and support via a website, chat service, email and telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
