KSA begins affiliate sweep ahead of Dutch KOA launch 

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands Gambling Regulatory Authority, has sanctioned a ‘new round of action’ against websites promoting unlicensed operators deemed to be targeting Dutch consumers.

The tougher monitoring of affiliate websites will be undertaken by KSA, as the regulator moves to officially launch the Netherlands regulated online gambling marketplace on 1 October under the mandate of the Kamer approved ‘Remote Gambling Act’ (KOA Act).

KSA’s last affiliate enforcement came during 2019, which saw it take direct against 26 of 44 websites reviewed, giving each of them 48 hrs to terminate all Dutch marketing activities.

To date, KSA monitoring of affiliate activities has seen a number of foreign operators fined triple-digit Euro penalties with regards to their brands being promoted on illegal Dutch language websites.

In its last marketing communication, KSA stated that it would hold a zero-tolerance policy on unlicensed operators or affiliates promoting any type of corona related marketing – imposing immediate fines of €50,000 per discrepancy.

This April, KSA began to process its KOA regime licensing process, revealing that it had received 28 individual operator applications, with the regulator expecting 35 licences to be approved by its first licensing window.

2020 amendments to the KOA Act saw Dutch Legal Protections Minister Sander Dekker announce that all licensed operators must wipe from their databases Dutch customer information obtained prior to market regulation.

Dekker imposed the marketing condition in order to guarantee a level playing field for all participating KOA incumbents.