Dutch Gambling Industry Launches Hotline to Combat Illegal Online Gambling
The Dutch Online Gambling Association (NOGA) and the Licensed Dutch Online Gaming Providers (VNLOK) have introduced a dedicated hotline to report illegal online gambling activity in the Netherlands.
New Reporting Platform for Illegal Practices
The new hotline, available at www.meldvalsspel.nl, serves as a central hub for reporting breaches in online gambling regulations. The platform enables reports on unsafe gambling practices, insufficient player protection measures, excessive bonuses beyond legal limits, and activities targeting underage players.
Reports submitted via the portal are shared with VNLOK and NOGA members, licensed operators, partner organizations, and other professional stakeholders. Serious cases may also be forwarded to the Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) for further action.
Objectives of the Hotline
The Meld Vals Spel website aims to identify and document the methods used by illegal operators. This information will be utilized to penalize these actors and raise public awareness about the risks of engaging with unregulated platforms.
The initiative underscores the industry’s commitment to maintaining a safe and legal gambling environment, as articulated by Helma Lodders, Chairman of VNLOK, and Eric Konings, Director of NOGA:
“Licensed providers of online gambling have the joint responsibility to offer players a legal, safe and responsible offer. This often goes well, but can also be better. This is being worked hard every day. At the same time, many Dutch people still come into contact with illegal gambling sites and apps.”
Tackling the Threat of Illegal Operators
Illegal gambling operators continue to pose a significant challenge in the Dutch market. According to Lodders and Konings, these operators exploit loopholes in advertising by promoting terms like “playing without limit” or “playing without CRUKS” to attract vulnerable players. Such practices undermine the safety of players and the integrity of the regulated market.
The hotline is a proactive step to address these issues and ensure that unregulated operators face consequences. By enabling reports from both stakeholders and players, the platform fosters a collaborative effort to safeguard the Dutch gambling ecosystem.
