The Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) has imposed a €3.08m ($3.6m) fine on Costa Rica-based Chestoption Sociedad de Responsibilidad Limitada for offering unlicensed online gambling to players in the Netherlands through websites including Vave.com.
According to the regulator, Chestoption actively targeted Dutch consumers by advertising in Dutch while failing to implement measures that would prevent players in the Netherlands from accessing its gambling services.
KSA said the websites also lacked several player protection safeguards required under Dutch regulation, including age verification, while offering autoplay and turbo play features and accepting cryptocurrency payments.
The latest sanction follows an earlier penalty order issued to the operator in December 2024.
KSA also confirmed that Chestoption failed to comply with that order, resulting in an additional €840,000 in penalty payments becoming due. As those payments remain outstanding, the regulator said it has begun collection proceedings.
The case forms part of KSA's broader strategy to combat illegal gambling operators. Alongside financial penalties, the regulator said it is working with payment providers, banks, hosting companies and major technology firms to disrupt the infrastructure supporting unlicensed gambling websites.
The enforcement action comes during a period of heightened regulatory activity in the Netherlands. Earlier this month, the KSA warned licensed operators that channelisation had fallen to 53%, citing continued competition from the black market.
The regulator has also recently taken action against licensed operators over responsible gambling failures, while emphasising that protecting consumers and limiting access to illegal gambling remain key enforcement priorities.
KSA recently reported that channelisation by gross gaming revenue in the Netherlands has fallen to 53%, highlighting ongoing concerns about the scale of the offshore gambling market
