Unibet Warned by Dutch Regulator
The Dutch Gambling Authority (Ksa) has warned Optdeck, the operator of Unibet, over two regulatory violations: untargeted advertising and the use of a banned autoplay feature. Although no fine was issued, future breaches may trigger stronger penalties.
Advertising Breach Involving Team Bus
Optdeck received a warning for using a Unibet-branded team bus for non-sporting purposes. The bus, tied to the Unibet Tietema Rockets cycling team, was seen in the Netherlands outside of its intended function. This use violated the national ban on untargeted gambling advertising.
Optdeck said it didn’t know the bus served other functions. The company also stated that managing multiple sponsorships is complex. In response, it told the cycling team to stop using the bus. It also ordered new branding for both the bus and support vehicles, removing the Unibet logo. This change comes ahead of a wider sponsorship ban, which starts on July 1, 2025, and prohibits all gambling-related branding in sports.
Prohibited Autoplay Function Found
The Ksa also flagged an autoplay feature in one of Unibet’s games. The “BonusBuy” function let players continue with purchased bonuses without starting a new round. Dutch law bans this type of feature due to its potential to encourage excessive play.
According to Optdeck, a third-party supplier accidentally enabled the feature after launch. It stayed live for two hours. The company compensated players who lost money during that time and said it introduced safeguards to prevent similar issues.
Operator Holds Full Responsibility
The Ksa reminded Optdeck that licensed operators must follow gambling laws, even when relying on third-party providers. In this case, Optdeck acted quickly to fix both issues. For that reason, the regulator chose not to issue fines.
Still, the Ksa warned that it would impose stricter measures if Optdeck breaks the rules again. The authority continues to push for full compliance in the Dutch gambling market.