Yesterday Dutch gaming regulator Kansspelautoriteit dropped a hefty €310,000 fine on online betting operator Casumo Services Ltd for targeting Dutch players for their services without a license.
The fine comes as the KSA found that Casumo was targeting players in the country by offering chat support in Dutch, using iDeal (which is only open to players in the Netherlands), and allowing access to their site in the country. While the last violation is common among online casino operators, the first two are particular ones that have gotten other groups in hot water.
The fine comes months after Casumo was hit with a huge £5.85 million fine by the UK Gambling Commission, as the regulator found the group didn't do enough to protect problem gamblers.
The KSA is looking to crack down hard on unlicensed operators as lawmakers recently voted to legalize online betting and infrastructure is being worked on to regulate the activity. A huge number of unlicensed sites operate in the country, and skirting the laws will no doubt make things difficult for those groups if they look to operate in the new market.
Comments
Wow!!! Heavy fine for Casumo... sites need to be very careful these days and keep things very honest. I must say, great article indeed. Very interesting!
Thanks Dina. The Netherlands is definitely looking to crack down on offshore betting as they regulate things.
Wowzers They really don't take any crap In the Netherlands do they? second fine this year for Casumo and hopefully the last one for their sake
How do they make casinos pay if those are not in their jurisdiction? Do they contact UKGC and ask them enforce the decision or they go to court? Very curious as I've seen Dutch regulator dropping fines to different operators in different jurisdictions. Do they ever collect money?
sharpe
That's very reasonable question xtober, I've been asking my self the same thing reading some of the older news about the casinos being fined in Netherlands in particular, cause it's not the first case.
I guess there wont be another way for the local authorities to enforce the fines to be paid until they regulate the business there and the legit casinos who have been fined previously and want to get a license there would not have other choice but to pay I guess.
As for the rest - the offshore and rogue ones...they'd never pay theirs I guess.
That must hurt! But then again it was their responsibility to make sure that they don't advertise their casino in a country they can't operate in.