Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) chairman René Jansen has urged the country’s government to introduce a spending limit on online gambling to help protect consumers from harm.
Speaking today (7 September) at conference of the European Association for the Study of Gambling (EASG), Jansen said tighter limits imposed by the government would help to control gambling behaviour
Jansen added that the duty of care of operators should go further than simply applying a limit, saying this should not be an excuse to “sit back” until a customer has reached their deposit or loss limit.
He referenced recent research by the KSA that suggested the Netherlands does not go as far as other regulated markets in Europe to protect players from gambling harm.
Jansen gave the example that other countries have laws requiring consumers to set deposit limits, while in the Netherlands, these remain optional for the player.
“I increasingly wonder whether we offer sufficient protection and safety to players with the current interpretation of the duty of care,” Jansen said. “I see that the behaviour of gambling providers still leaves a lot to be desired.
“Tightening up the duty of care is therefore not an unnecessary luxury and we can learn from other countries, but the ultimate choice lies with the legislator.”
Jansen’s comments come after the KSA this week issued a cease-and-desist order to LCS Limited for illegally offering online gambling in the country without the relevant licence.
The operator was found to have offered online games of chance to consumers in the Netherlands via its Sons of Slots brand.
Should LCS fail to comply with the order, the KSA said the operator could be issued with a penalty of €55,000 per week, up to a maximum penalty of €165,000.