The Netherlands gets tough: Winbet sanctioned for illegal activity
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29 Oct 2024 •
Reading time: 3 minutes The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) is stepping up its efforts to protect consumers by taking action against unlicensed operators. The latest target of these actions is online gambling operator Winbet, which is now facing heavy sanctions for offering its services without a license in the country. This decision reflects the Netherlands’ commitment to maintaining strict regulation and discouraging the provision of unlicensed gambling, which exposes players to increased risks.
A clear warning to online gambling operators
The KSA has issued a sanctions warning to Winbet after a thorough investigation. The Dutch regulator, which monitors the gambling industry to ensure compliance with the law and player protection, has discovered that Winbet was operating several gambling sites in the Netherlands without holding the appropriate license.
Among the sites concerned, Galaxyspins.com, Winnercasino1.bet, Superb1.bet and Doctorspins.com, all accessible from Dutch territory, allow players to create accounts, make deposits and participate in games of chance, without any restrictions being put in place to block Dutch users. These breaches constitute a direct violation of the strict rules of the regulated online gambling market in the Netherlands, which exposes Winbet to escalating penalties.
Financial sanctions commensurate with the violations
Following the findings of the investigation, the KSA has ordered Winbet to immediately cease all its illegal activities in the Netherlands or face severe fines. The regulator’s warning states that in the event of non-compliance, Winbet will have to pay a weekly fine of €280,000, which would accumulate to a total of €840,000 if the operator persists in its activities.
These substantial fines are intended to deter Winbet and other unlicensed players from continuing to operate illegally. By imposing such heavy financial penalties, the KSA hopes to send a message to operators that failure to comply with the standards of the Dutch gambling market carries immediate and significant consequences.
The KSA reiterated the importance of this measure in ensuring a safe and regulated market, stating:
“We take firm action against illegal supply in order to protect players and establish a responsible gaming framework. Financial penalties often prompt operators to cease their activities quickly.”
Winbet, one case among others
Winbet is not the first operator to fall under the KSA’s increased vigilance this month. Recently, the Dutch authority also issued similar warnings against BlokDance, another company offering online gambling via the sites bc.game and bcgame.lu. Although BlokDance initially restricted Dutch players’ access to these platforms, the efforts made to comply with the regulations were deemed insufficient by the KSA, which imposed similar sanctions.
These recent actions against Winbet and BlokDance illustrate the firm stance taken by the KSA to discourage non-compliant gambling operators. Dutch regulation aims to be exemplary in ensuring a secure online gambling environment, which protects users from the risks associated with unauthorized and unsupervised sites.
A stricter gambling market in the Netherlands
The KSA’s objective is clear: to create a safe and regulated gambling environment, ensuring that only duly licensed operators can offer their services to Dutch players. The Dutch gambling legislation has recently been strengthened to better regulate this activity and prevent problems associated with illegal practices. Under these new rules, all online gambling operators must obtain a license to operate on the Dutch market. Those who fail to do so are immediately subject to repressive measures.
These measures against Winbet demonstrate a clear determination to enforce the online gambling legislation and to deter any attempts to circumvent the rules. This type of intervention strengthens the credibility of the Dutch market and protects players from the dangers of unregulated sites. The KSA’s firmness, as well as its commitment to establishing a safe gaming environment, underlines the importance of regulation in a rapidly expanding industry.