The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has published two studies alongside updated guidance designed to support online gambling operators in meeting their duty of care obligations.
The materials focus on how licence holders identify and respond to signs of excessive gambling behaviour, with particular attention given to personal interventions and reporting procedures linked to the Central Register for Exclusion from Gambling (Cruks).
The research, conducted throughout 2025 and discussed with operators during a roundtable in December, identified inconsistencies in how key measures are applied across the market. In response, KSA has issued clarifications intended to improve practical implementation without introducing new regulatory requirements.
One area of focus is the use of personal interviews, which are considered a significant intervention when there are indications of gambling-related harm.
According to the findings, operators face challenges such as low player response rates and uncertainty around how and when to initiate contact.
The updated guidance outlines expectations regarding timing, communication methods and conversation content, while still allowing room for operator discretion.
KSA has also addressed the process for submitting notifications when players are advised to register with Cruks but fail to do so. In such cases, operators are required to inform the regulator, which may then decide on involuntary registration.
The guidance aims to clarify when notifications should be made and what information must be included, following feedback that existing requirements were not always clearly understood.
The regulator stated that these updates are intended to provide greater consistency across the market and strengthen player protection measures.
Outcomes from the studies will also inform ongoing supervisory activities, with duty of care compliance remaining a key focus area.
This latest publication forms part of a broader pattern of regulatory activity from KSA in early 2026. This month alone, the authority has warned sports betting operators over markets falling outside the scope of their licences, published guidelines on compliant online gambling advertising and released its annual match-fixing trend analysis – the latter revealing a new pattern of athletes betting on their own competitions.
Cruks allows both voluntary and involuntary exclusion from gambling, and operators are required to check the register before allowing players to participate
