Ksa fines Starscream Limited for illegal gambling in the Netherlands
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15 Jan 2026 •
Reading time: 2 minutes No age verification, no license, but betting with autoplay was fully available. For thousands of Dutch people, it was child’s play to gamble on banned sites. Now, the foreign gambling company Starscream Limited is being presented with the bill: a fine of over 4.2 million euros.
The Kansspelautoriteit, the dutch gambling authority (Ksa) has just acted against Starcream Limited, imposing a fine of over €4 million. Experts say this is essential, as illegal gambling sites remain far too popular.
Fine must deter others
Starscream Limited offered online games of chance via three websites : rantcasino.com, allstarzcasino.com, and sugarcasino.com. The sites were accessible without any check on age or origin. Players could easily deposit money, place bets, and use autoplay features. The latter is prohibited in the Netherlands because it fosters addiction.
The fine follows a previously imposed order subject to a penalty. Starscream ignored that warning. Because the company is based in Saint Lucia and holds no license for the Dutch market, the regulator is now taking action with an administrative sanction.
Illegal gambling remains a persistent problem
The case demonstrates how difficult it is to get a grip on foreign providers. The Dutch gambling market is strictly regulated precisely to protect players against deception and addiction. Yet, illegal platforms remain active via loopholes. And that makes enforcement difficult.
According to the Ksa, the key lies in cooperation. Not only with other regulators but also with banks, tech companies, and hosting services. Only in this way can access to illegal sites be structurally limited.
‘We are cracking down hard on illegal supply’
Ksa Chairman Michel Groothuizen emphasizes the importance of this action.
“Although collecting such fines is difficult with parties outside the EU, we want to make it clear with measures like this that we are cracking down hard on illegal supply.”
The ruling is also a warning to other providers. The Ksa continues to actively monitor, issue fines, and look for new ways to protect Dutch players. The multi-million euro fine for Starscream is intended to serve as a deterrent in this regard.
Is Starscream active and legal in Belgium?
Starscream was also active in Belgium with rantcasino.com, which operated without a valid license. This site is now blacklisted by the Belgian Gaming Commission and is blocked for players in our country.