Compliance Updates
NETHERLANDS DELAYS LEGALISING ONLINE GAMBLING
Joy broke out when the Netherlands finally decided to legalize online gambling. It all went south when it was later stated that the market launch for regulated online gambling has been delayed until July 2021. The decision was made to permit the government enough time to create secondary gambling legislation. The country’s Minister of Justice and Security, Sander Dekker, announced the delay to the Netherlands’ lower house of parliament. The amended Remote Gambling Act is now set to take effect on the 21st of January, 2021.
Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the official Dutch gambling regulation had earlier stated that it would begin to accept online license applications from operators after the enactment of the RGA. These applications would have to be processed for six (6) months before being fully ratified. This has led to the inevitable delay in the online market launch. You can get a full-time experience at onlinecasinohex.nl, where we offer the best of online gambling and casino games.
On the bright side, some legislators tried to move for the absolute ban on gambling advertising. The minister rejected this view. He had this to say;
“…restricting gambling advertising is…not in itself an objective of the current Dutch gambling policy.”
Dekker further stated that placing a ban on advertising would only have negative impacts on the government’s desire to help locally-licensed gambling sites gain traction. He, however, stated that there are plans for the government to strengthen the existing rules on advertising in the Netherlands. Some of these rules include regulated time-frame for advertising through certain media platforms, limited bonus offers, restrictions on behavioral targeting as well as limited celebrity endorsement.
The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) will not be granting the licenses of prospective online gambling operators who have not displayed a functional age-verification system. The government is particularly interested in restricting the participation of under-aged customers to zero percent. The government made this a compulsory requirement after it was discovered in 2018 that underaged customers were easily gaining access to the state-run Nederlandse Loterij’s Toto Sports betting product. The Nederlandse Loterij thereafter upgraded its age-restriction processes. As such, Dekker gives prospective online gambling operators to be at alert. The minister expressly stated that the failure of any company to comply with this will not only amount to the rejection of their license application, but it would attract the full weight of the KSA’s enforcement procedure.
Due to the coronavirus, there has been a national lockdown of all physical gambling venues nationwide. This has left a vacuum in the market. This also has led to a delay in the legalization of online gambling. Ironically, other international online gambling sites have been offering their services to Dutch customers without a license. It, therefore, becomes necessary that so much attention is given to the ratification of the new laws.
CONCLUSION
Technology makes life without physical contactless awful. Everything done physically can be done online. But, the restriction of online gambling activities in the Netherlands would lead to a diversion of local funds to an unregulated international market.
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The Dutch Gambling Regulator (KSA) has announced that it will place a greater focus on combating illegality and player protection in its oversight in 2026. The regulator outlined its priorities for 2026 in five key themes.
In 2026, the KSA will pay extra attention to the following topics:
• Combating illegal gambling offers
• Protection of vulnerable groups: minors and young adults
• Supervision of the duty of care
• Supervision of advertising
• Supervision of compliance with the Wwft
Additional capacity is being freed up to combat illegal gambling, primarily to frustrate and disable the infrastructure of illegal parties. This could include closer collaboration with payment service providers, hosting providers and social media companies.
The increased priority on protecting vulnerable groups and enhanced oversight of advertising and duty of care aligns with the Ministry’s renewed vision, which places a greater emphasis on player protection. A separate player protection department has been established for this purpose within the KSA’s new organisational structure, effective from January 2026.
The post Dutch Regulator Outlines 5 Key Supervisory Priorities for 2026 Agenda appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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Arizona Department of Gaming Names Juan Carlos Estrada as Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts Executive Director
The post Arizona Department of Gaming Names Juan Carlos Estrada as Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts Executive Director appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Compliance Updates
Cyprus Betting Authority Deploys 150 Secret Agents to Conduct Raids on Betting Agencies
The Cyprus NBA is significantly ramping up its regulatory oversight for 2026. Raids on betting agencies are being carried out by “undercover” agents as part of stepped-up checks by the NBA to ensure compliance with the law.
The NBA has procured inspection services from the private sector, deploying 150 undercover agents who pose as customers and enter betting premises unannounced.
While on site, the agents monitor staff conduct, check whether illegal bets are being placed and verify that minors are not present.
Alongside these surprise visits, NBA officers also carry out on-site inspections and monitor betting websites used by hundreds of players, while inspections are also conducted to identify potential money-laundering activity.
The issues related to the violations of rules were raised during a meeting of the House Finance Committee, where an NBA representative said the Authority imposed fines totalling €46,000 last year.
Of that amount, €26,000 related to breaches linked to the lack of required licences, with the remainder stemming from the presence of minors on premises and other violations of the legislation.
At the same time, data submitted to parliament showed that bets worth €1.3 billion were placed last year, with players receiving €1.17bn in winnings.
Against that backdrop, and following an increase in the betting tax, state revenue from betting rose to €6 million, up from €3.2m a year earlier.
During the discussion, it was also noted that a draft bill has been pending at the Ministry of Finance for around a year.
The bill provides for new products and services, as well as enhanced safeguards for responsible gaming and the protection of minors.
A representative of the ministry clarified that there are no plans to introduce online casino games.
Expected revenue from betting activity is projected at €71.85m this year, an increase of 28.03 per cent, or €15.73m, compared with 2025.
Revenue is forecast to rise further to €75.27m in 2027 and €78.59m in 2028.
Breaking down the figures, betting tax is expected to generate €53m, licence fees €8.2m and betting activity contributions €10m.
Class A and Class B licence holders pay tax at a rate of 10 per cent on net betting earnings, with Class A covering land-based betting and Class B online betting.
In addition, €32m relates to betting tax on Opap’s Cyprus’ gross profits under the new contract, while licences for Class A and B operators, authorised representatives and premises are expected to bring in €2.8m.
A further €5m concerns Opap’s Cyprus’ licence fee and €0.4m its supervision contribution, also under the revised agreement.
The post Cyprus Betting Authority Deploys 150 Secret Agents to Conduct Raids on Betting Agencies appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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