Online Casino flaws exposed
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11 Dec 2024 •
Reading time: 3 minutes Since the legalization of online casinos, the debate over player protection has remained heated. Journalist Jeroen van Bergeijk, known for his immersive investigations, decided to delve into this controversial world to assess whether the “zorgplicht” (duty of care) imposed by Dutch law is respected. His story, published in De Volkskrant, raises crucial questions about the practices of operators and the gaps in the legislation.
Disturbing immersion
Initially, Van Bergeijk planned to work as a live dealer in an online casino to observe behind the scenes. But after being refused, he chose another path: that of the player. For six weeks, armed with a budget of €5,000 provided by De Volkskrant, he tested 15 legal online casinos.
His goal? To understand how platforms react to potentially problematic gambling behavior and see if they respect their legal obligations.
The experience: between fascination and danger
Van Bergeijk quickly discovered the insidious effects of gambling. At first, he found it monotonous, even repulsive. However, the experience took a different turn:
“I started to enjoy it, much more than I would have imagined.” he confessed on NPO Radio 1.
He took his behavior to the extreme, gambling at night, increasing stakes and trying to make deposits when his balance was insufficient. These actions, considered as warning signals by the Dutch gaming authority, should have triggered interventions. However, the response from the casinos was limited to notifications and emails, which Van Bergeijk simply ignored.
Despite his expectations, none of the casinos contacted him personally. For Van Bergeijk, this highlights a structural problem:
“I don’t blame the casinos. Their goal is to make money. The real problem is the very design of the law.”
He believes that the current regulations lack clarity on how the zorgplicht should be applied. Without clear guidelines, each operator acts in its own way, often insufficiently.
Questionable legal limits
According to Dutch law, players cannot exceed a monthly deposit limit of €700 per casino. But this restriction does not apply globally. Thus, a player like Van Bergeijk, who spreads his deposits across several platforms, can easily circumvent this rule.
This flaw has already been pointed out by the Nationaal Rapporteur Verslavingen, which advocates for a unified gambling limit across all operators. Such a measure would have made it possible to detect problematic behavior earlier.
The role of advertising and prevention
Van Bergeijk highlights another worrying aspect: the impact of advertising. Since legalization, celebrities and athletes have been used to normalize gambling.
However, he does not advocate for a return to the ban on online casinos, judging it ineffective in the face of the rise of illegal platforms. Instead, he advocates better education and awareness, particularly among young people, on the dangers of gambling. According to him, if operators technically comply with the rules, the spirit of the law, which aims to protect players, seems to be largely ignored.