The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has intervened after discovering that licensed operators One Casino and bet365 offered betting options on football matches involving teams with players under the age of 21, in breach of the Gambling Act (Wet op de kansspelen).
Under Dutch law, betting on sporting events involving participants under 21 is prohibited, reflecting concerns that younger athletes are more vulnerable to external influence and manipulation. As a result, such markets are considered to present an elevated risk of match fixing.
According to the regulator, compliance checks conducted in 2025 showed that both operators had temporarily made betting markets available on matches involving under-21 teams. KSA subsequently raised the issue directly with the companies involved.
In the case of One Casino, the operator explained that an incorrect system classification led to a match between under-21 teams being registered as an international friendly.
Once identified, the operator cancelled the affected bets, refunded customers and implemented additional measures intended to prevent similar errors in future.
At bet365, KSA identified a separate instance in which a betting option was offered on a match involving under-21 players due to a registration error. The operator described the issue as a one-time incident, stating that the error had been corrected. bet365 also conducted an internal audit and introduced further automated controls to reduce the risk of recurrence.
KSA emphasised that while both cases were linked to technical errors, operators remain fully responsible for ensuring that their betting offerings comply with legal requirements at all times.
The authority noted that effective systems, controls and safeguards are essential to prevent prohibited betting markets from being made available.
The regulator also pointed to its ongoing work to strengthen integrity within the sports betting market. In December, KSA published an updated version of its “Commitment to Integrity” guidelines, which aim to reduce match-fixing risks and improve oversight of sports betting products.
Earlier this month, KSA confirmed it had intensified cooperation with sports associations and clubs to enforce restrictions on gambling advertising and sponsorship, particularly in relation to international matches where compliance risks can arise.
The Netherlands Gambling Authority has repeatedly stated that breaches caused by system or registration errors do not reduce an operator’s legal responsibility for compliance under the Gambling Act
