KSA Fines Toto €400,000

The Netherlands' gaming regulator Kansspelautoriteit announced this week that it has fined online gaming operator Toto Online €400,000 for violating advertising rules in the country.

Toto, which is owned by Nederlandse Loterij, was found to have sent illegal gambling ads to customers between October 1st of 2021 and February 1st of this year. The ads were found to have been informing players about Toto's online service and provided bonus information to customers. The issue at hand was that the ads were sent to users aged 18-23, which is considered to be a no-no in the Netherlands via its gaming laws.

The Netherlands launched its regulated online gambling market on October 1st of last year, allowing a small (but growing) number of betting operators to provide casino and sportsbetting services to their customers.

KSA Chairman René Jansen issued comment on the fines, noting: "The law says that vulnerable groups, including young adults, must be given extra protection. The brains of young people are still developing. As a result, they are extra vulnerable to developing gambling addiction.

"Gaming providers must fully respect the rules intended to protect vulnerable groups. That did not happen here and that is why there is a fine."