The ‘100% up to €711’ bonus offered by online casino 711 is causing a stir in the Netherlands. Deemed misleading by certain supervisory bodies, it has triggered an official complaint to the Gaming Authority.
The disputed bonus: an attractive promise at the heart of the debate
For some time now, the ‘100% up to €711’ bonus offered by the 711 online casino has become a subject of major controversy in the Netherlands. The widely promoted offer promises new players double their deposit up to that amount: a promise that has attracted the attention of gaming watchdog groups and regulatory authorities.
On 16 May 2024, the Reclame Code Commissie (RCC) handed down a resounding verdict: the advertisement of this bonus would be misleading. This decision marks an essential step in the examination of online casino advertising and compliance with advertising law in the gaming sector.
But the controversy does not end there. CasinoZorgplicht, an organisation that has long been involved in regulating and monitoring the practices of the gaming industry, has decided to take the matter a step further by filing an enforcement application with the Kansspelautoriteit (the Dutch Gaming Authority).
The story that unfolded involved legal issues, social responsibility and freedom of enterprise – an intrigue worthy of a regulatory soap opera.
From complaint to decision: the chronology of cases
The case began with a complaint lodged by CasinoZorgplicht, which believed that certain 711 advertisements were excessively enticing and targeted vulnerable people under the guise of humour or seduction.
When the CCR examined the complaint, it concluded that the disputed advertisements – on Facebook or in videos – had a humorous and absurd tone and that, in its opinion, they did not exceed the acceptable limits of the advertising code. She therefore rejected the complaint.
However, in another case (2023/00647), the Commission had ruled that the 711 bonus infringed article 5.3 of the Reclamecode Online Kansspelen (ROK), by exceeding the reasonable bonus ceiling, set at between €50 and €250. Faced with this tension, CasinoZorgplicht pushed the case to the Kansspelautoriteit, hoping for an administrative sanction or at least stricter regulatory validation.
When regulations change
The 711 case comes at a time of transition in Dutch online gambling regulation. To strengthen control over operators, the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) recently announced the creation of a specialist division, Zorgplicht Online, responsible for monitoring compliance with the duty of care – in other words, the obligation to protect players.
The importance of this regulatory development is significant, as complaints such as CasinoZorgplicht’s can now be dealt with not only via advertising bodies (such as the RCC) but via operational authorities, with possible sanctions (fines, injunctions or licence restrictions).