SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the gambling authority of the Netherlands, has reiterated its warning that all Dutch gambling advertising campaigns must comply with its rules on audience targeting.
The warning follows KSA’s latest intervention where “a gambling operator made unfocused advertisements during a game show on television.”
The infringing advertisement did not comply with the KOA market’s rules for sponsoring TV programs, which are still allowed until July 1, 2024.
Proceedings in 2023 led the Dutch government to introduce new advertising amendments to the Remote Gambling Act (KOA), the legislation that governs online gambling within the Netherlands.
As specified, from July 1, 2023, all KOA-licensed operators must adhere to a ban on “untargeted advertising” across all media platforms to “protect vulnerable groups, including minors and young adults, from potential gambling addiction”.
Before enforcing the new rules, KSA had to clarify the regulations on untargeted advertising, wherein the regulator demanded that operators’ campaigns must “ensure visibility to an audience where 95% are 24 years or older”.
Although advertising remains a “self-monitored” practice, KOA-licensed operators must maintain individual records of advertising campaigns, which must be submitted to KSA for inspection.
Following an intervention, the Dutch government allowed TV sponsorships to continue until July 1, 2024, to enable media firms to conclude their existing contracts.
As noted in the KSA warning: “Because existing sponsorship contracts were considered at the initiation of the ban, sponsoring TV programs is permitted until July 1, 2024. Sports sponsorship is allowed until July 1, 2025.”
Entering 2024, outgoing KSA chairman René Jansen has warned Dutch operators to expect more stringent regulatory oversight on their customer care and advertising-related conduct, as the Dutch gambling market has reached “the logical point of maturity“.
