Winning Poker Network fined for illegal practice
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15 Jan 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes The fight against illegal gambling continues in the Netherlands. The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Dutch gaming regulator, has fined Winning Poker Network (WPN) €1.275 million. This sanction is the result of the illegal offer of online poker games to Dutch players, in violation of laws that require a license.
A well-honed illegal strategy
WPN, known for operating platforms such as americascardroom.eu and truepoker.eu, had allowed Dutch players to access its services without having the necessary authorization. The Ksa investigation revealed that these sites were not only accessible, but also exhibited practices deemed deceptive. For example, WPN charged inactivity fees to players who did not log in regularly and presented itself as a reliable entity thanks to a foreign license not recognized by the Netherlands.
A firm and dissuasive response
Despite the warnings from the KSA, Winning Poker Network continued to operate on some of its sites. This led the authority to apply a penalty payment and then impose a heavier fine. Indeed, the initial penalty was increased due to aggravating circumstances, such as the collection of unjustified fees from the accounts of inactive players and the use of fallacious arguments to pass itself off as a legal operator.
The KSA does not just sanction offending operators. It makes a point of protecting consumers by ensuring strict application of the law.
“A penalty payment is often an effective way to quickly stop illegal activity, but it is not enough. Financial sanctions send a clear message: violations of gaming laws will not go unpunished.”
Michel Groothuizen, representative of the Ksa
A vigilant and proactive authority
The Kansspelautoriteit has increased its interventions in recent years to regulate the gaming sector. Recently, it closed several illegal sites and sanctioned operators such as Betonline.ag and Freebitcoin. These actions aim to prevent abuse and provide a safe gaming environment for consumers.
The Belgian Gaming Commission takes a similar approach. It regularly publishes a blacklist of banned sites and works with Internet service providers to block non-compliant platforms. However, while the Ksa focuses on dissuasive financial sanctions, Belgium focuses more on public awareness and prevention.
The challenge of regulation in a globalized sector
The case of Winning Poker Network illustrates the challenges posed by a sector where national borders are often ignored. International operators, attracted by the financial windfall of online gaming, sometimes try to circumvent local laws. Faced with this, authorities such as the KSA in the Netherlands and the Belgian Gaming Commission play a crucial role. These sanctions mark an important step towards ensuring a regulated and ethical sector. But they also raise a key question: how can regulations be harmonised at the European level to counter the abusive practices of international platforms? A coordinated response could be the next goal for regulators.