SBC News KSA: No loopholes for Dutch gambling sponsorship ban from 1 July

KSA: No loopholes for Dutch gambling sponsorship ban from 1 July

The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Gambling Authority of the Netherlands, has stated that it will not allow operators and sports clubs to circumvent rules regarding the forthcoming ban on gambling sponsorships.

The message came from KSA Chairman Michel Groothuizen, who was interviewed by Dutch news channel NOS.

From 1 July 2025, the KSA expects all Dutch sports clubs and operators to comply with the blanket ban on gambling sponsorships, a measure approved in 2023 as part of the Kamer’s new advertising rules for the Dutch gambling market.

Since July 2023, the KSA and the government have applied new advertising restrictions on Dutch gambling licences, including a ban on media, outdoor, TV, radio, and print advertising.

Further restrictions prohibit the use of celebrities, athletes, and social media influencers to promote or endorse gambling brands. Licensed operators must submit advertising reports detailing their media spend and coverage to the KSA.

Dutch sports clubs were granted an 18-month grace period to fulfil existing sponsorship contracts with licensed operators, as many agreements had been signed prior to the launch of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA) market on 1 October 2021.

Speaking to NOS, KSA Chairman Groothuizen stated that he expects all football clubs to uphold the ban on gambling sponsorships and refrain from seeking ‘creative loopholes’.

Groothuizen referenced developments in neighbouring Belgium, where football clubs altered the logos of gambling brands to continue their sponsorships.

On 1 January 2025, Belgium’s Gaming Commission (Kansspelcommissie) enforced new rules on gambling sponsorships, restricting sports clubs to partnerships only with companies that do not directly operate games of chance.

However, clubs may still collaborate with entities that incorporate the branding or logos of gaming operators in an indirect capacity, such as foundations, supporter networks, applications, websites providing general football information, and online broadcast channels.

Examples of Belgian Pro League infringements include altering gambling company names on shirts to appear unrelated to gambling while still linking to gambling platforms (such as “U-experts” for Unibet and “Circus Daily” for Circus Casino) and manipulating logo size rules by counting only the letters of sponsors while excluding spaces to comply with imposed limits.

The Kansspelcommissie has responded to these infringements by stating that it will review the rules to ensure that the ban on sponsorships is fully enforced.

Meanwhile, Groothuizen stated that the KSA will not tolerate operators copying Belgian practices and promoting their brands in a similar manner.

The KSA will review sponsorship-related articles to prevent creative circumvention tactics seen in Belgium.

“We would like to see the law amended in such a way that providers are given the space to advertise, but that we can prevent the forms of circumvention that we are currently seeing in Belgium.”

As reported by Online Casino Nieuws, the upcoming gambling sponsorship ban is expected to have a significant impact on sports in the Netherlands.

KOA operators currently contribute €40 million annually to the budgets of professional football clubs, making them a major source of funding. In addition, the KNVB estimates a further annual loss of €30 million due to a decline in broadcasting rights revenue. These financial setbacks could have lasting consequences for the Dutch football industry.

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