Date: 23.07.2024

by Adam Dworak

Kansspelautoriteit Enhances Supervision with Duty of Care Online Department

The Dutch gaming authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has launched a new Duty of Care Online department aimed at improving the supervision of online gambling operators’ responsibilities towards their players. This move comes in response to a recent investigation highlighting inconsistencies and shortcomings among providers regarding their duty of care.

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Findings from Recent Investigations

In September, the KSA conducted an investigation into ten online gambling providers, revealing significant variations in how they interpreted and implemented their duty of care.

These discrepancies prompted the KSA to revise its Responsible Gaming policy, leading to the creation of the new department to ensure more consistent and effective supervision.

Enhanced Supervision and Compliance

The Duty of Care Online department will conduct extensive file research, particularly focusing on providers that show anomalies in control data or receive complaints from players.

This department is tasked with monitoring operators to ensure they comply with the new duty of care rules and identifying potential signs of gambling addiction, such as large financial losses.

These measures aim to better prevent gambling-related problems in the future.

Leadership and Strategic Focus

Michel Groothuizen, Chair of the KSA, emphasized the importance of the new department, stating, “In our annual plan and the Supervisory Agenda 2024, we have made it very clear that compliance with the duty of care is an important and urgent priority. In order to implement this in the right way, we need to significantly increase our capacity. With this department, we are strengthening our supervision of the duty of care and we are focusing even more firmly on our mission of ‘playing safe’.”

Broader Scope of Duty of Care

The KSA’s commitment to improving duty of care extends beyond online gambling. Plans are underway to enhance duty of care measures for land-based gaming operations, following recent investigative findings.

These improvements will aim to ensure that all forms of gambling in the Netherlands adhere to stringent player protection standards.

Upcoming Player Protection Measures

In addition to the establishment of the new department, the KSA will implement further player protection measures later this year. Starting in October, deposit limits will be enforced: €300 per calendar month for players aged 18-24 and €700 per calendar month for players over 24.

These limits are designed to mitigate the risk of gambling addiction and encourage responsible gambling behavior.