Regulatory battle: Bet365 challenges Ksa injunction on duty of care
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23 Jan 2026 •
Reading time: 3 minutes On 22 January 2026, the Ksa issued a binding injunction against Hillside, the operator of Bet365, for serious shortcomings in its duty of care towards players. Charging the operator with poor financial controls, the regulator is demanding compliance within four weeks, a decision that Bet365 rejects outright, promising to take the matter to court.
In a decision made public yesterday, the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) imposed a binding injunction on Hillside New Media Malta Plc, the parent company of Bet365. At the heart of the dispute: the method, deemed obsolete and ineffective by the regulator, by which the operator assesses the solvency of its players. Bet365 reacted immediately this morning, describing the accusations as unfounded.
Ksa’s finding: supervision deemed superficial
The regulator’s investigation, based on an audit carried out between 6 December 2024 and 6 June 2025, highlights structural flaws in Bet365’s player protection process. According to the Ksa, the operator did not react adequately to signals that certain customers could no longer bear the financial consequences of their gambling behaviour.
The main sticking point lies in the verification tools. Until March 2025, Hillside relied mainly on self-declaration questionnaires filled in by players to estimate their income. However, the Ksa explicitly disavowed this method at the beginning of 2025, insisting that self-declaration does not constitute reliable proof of solvency.
The authority also pointed the finger at miscalculations in the net deposit limits. As a result, some players were able to commit sums far in excess of what their actual financial situation should have allowed.
Vigilance thresholds in the Netherlands
As a reminder, Dutch regulations impose strict controls once monthly net deposits reach certain levels. If the operator is unable to verify the player’s financial capacity beyond these amounts, it is obliged to block all new deposits for the rest of the month.
| Player Category | Monthly Net Deposit Threshold | Action Required |
| Young Adults (18-23 years) | > 300 € | Credit check compulsory |
| Adults (aged 24 and over) | > 700 € | Credit check compulsory |
Bet365’s counter-attack
Far from keeping a low profile, Bet365 has chosen the path of legal confrontation. In a statement relayed this morning by iGaming Expert, the operator states that it will continue to challenge the injunction, believing that it committed no violation during the period audited.
A Bet365 spokesperson said:
“Bet365 does not recognise the allegations made by the Kansspelautoriteit.
Bet365 places the safety of its customers at the heart of its business and takes player protection very seriously. We will continue to defend ourselves through the appropriate legal process and remain confident that the allegations will prove to be unfounded.”
The defence is based on retroactivity and interpretation of the rules. Hillside maintains that its protocols were compliant at the time of the audit and that the authority therefore has no legitimacy to impose this coercive measure today.
The sword of Damocles: 4 weeks to act
Despite the formal objection lodged by Bet365, the Ksa injunction remains technically active. The operator now has four weeks to reconsider its position. In concrete terms, Hillside must implement a method of analysing financial signals that complies with the regulator’s strict requirements.
If Bet365 refuses to comply or fails to convince the Ksa, the escalation of sanctions could be brutal. The regulator has raised the possibility of heavy administrative fines, or even, in the worst-case scenario, the outright revocation of the operating licence in the Netherlands.