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The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit has fined five gambling firms a total of €26 million for operating illegally in the Netherlands.

The fines range from €900,000 to €12 million and are based on an estimate of the earnings the companies have generated from their Dutch operations.  All five are based on Malta.

The biggest fine went to N1 Interactive, because this is not a first offence, the regulator said. Videoslots has been told to pay almost €10 million, partly for carrying the regulator’s logo on its website, implying it is a legal operation.

Online gambling was legalised in the Netherlands in October 2021. In total 24 companies now have licences to target Dutch punters.