The Dutch trade association VNLOK has expressed concern over reports from the Consumers’ Association, Consumentenbond, and the draft bill announced by ChristenUnie and the Socialist Party (SP) on online gambling.
ChristenUnie and SP plan a private member’s bill to tighten online gambling rules. The proposal includes a ban on advertising, higher fines of up to 100% of turnover, easier licence suspensions, more stringent blocking of illegal sites and extending the minimum registration period for the self-exclusion registry (CRUKS) from six to 12 months.
According to the Consumentenbond study, young adults aged 24 to 35 were exposed to 342 million gambling advertisements over the past 12 months.
While VNLOK acknowledges the societal concerns surrounding online gambling and the importance of protecting vulnerable players, the association points out that the reports conflate legal and illegal operators. This is misleading and does not accurately reflect the situation.
VNLOK argues that claims suggesting minors and young adults are being "flooded" with legal gambling advertisements overlook the fact that advertising opportunities for legal operators are now heavily restricted.
Ads may not target minors or young adults aged 18 to 24 and are strictly supervised by the Gambling Authority. In addition, VNLOK emphasises that lower betting limits apply to young adults, their play behaviour is closely monitored and interventions occur earlier in cases of potential loss of control.
Björn Fuchs, Chairman of VNLOK, said: "We share the desire to protect vulnerable groups more effectively. We are happy to engage in discussions with ChristenUnie and SP to explore where further optimisation of player protection is possible.
At the same time, a clear distinction must be made between the activities and impacts of illegal operators on one hand and legal operators on the other."
VNLOK agrees with the call for stricter measures against illegal sites. The association argues that simply blocking illegal gambling sites is not enough, as seen in other European countries. The illegal market spreads through clickable ads and clever targeting.
The association also supports improvements to the exclusion register, CRUKS, to make it easier for vulnerable players to take a gambling break. VNLOK backs follow-up conversations with players who wish to return to gambling after a pause.
VNLOK does not advocate for looser rules but calls for policies that work more effectively. Such policies should be fact-based, proportionate and feasible in the interest of both players and society.
Advertising restrictions have previously led to significant growth of the illegal market. A complete advertising ban would therefore be unwise as it would drive players to illegal offerings and undermine player protection.
Recently, the Netherlands Gaming Authority, KSA, has issued a record fine of €24.8m ($28.9m) against Novatech for providing illegal gambling opportunities, and a €1.8m fine against Fortaprime SRL
Both operators had been warned about running websites that offered illegal gambling to Dutch players, but failed to take action.
The Coalition Government is in the process of drafting new regulations
