The Kansspelautoriteit (also known as the KSA) has penalized two internet Gambling and poker operators. The Winning Poker Network and Goldwin LTD have both been issued fines following a lengthy investigation by the KSA.
The outcome of the investigation was published on the Kansspelautoriteit website on June 7, 2023. Both of the brands involved seemingly offered internet gambling or online poker services to Dutch players without holding the proper licensure to do so.
What is the KSA?
The KSA is an independent administrative body that is responsible for regulating gambling activity in the Netherlands. The KSA, or the Kansspelautoriteit, works to ensure that all gambling operators serving players in the Netherlands offer fair games of chance with clear odds of winning.
The KSA strives to assist potential problem gamblers and reduce potential gambling addiction across the Netherlands. The KSA also works to ensure that all operators hold valid licensure that allows them to offer gaming to players residing in the Netherlands.
Details Regarding the Penalties
As a part of the KSA's efforts to enforce relevant regulations involving gambling in the Netherlands, the agency has issued fines to two different operators for offering gambling services to clients in the Netherlands without holding the proper licensure to do so.
The Winning Poker Network had previously received a warning from the KSA for offering online poker services through Americas Cardroom. The Winning Poker Network previously promised the KSA that it would stop offering online poker to players in the Netherlands, but the KSA investigation found that this was not quite the case.
The investigation concluded that players from the Netherlands were able to register at True Poker despite Americas Cardroom ceasing to serve players in the Netherlands. True Poker is a sister site of ACR on the same Winning Poker Network and owned by the same group. The games and player pools accessible from True Poker are virtually identical to those shown at Americas Cardroom.
Due to this violation, the KSA has imposed penalty payments of €25,000 ($26,948) weekly up to a maximum of €75,000 ($80,845). The size of this penalty is determined via a number of factors, including the size of the illegal gambling provider.
The KSA has also issued a fine to GoldWin LTD for offering illegal casino gambling services through the westcasino.com website. This penalty is a bit steeper coming in at a whopping €239,000 ($257,626) up to a maximum of €717,000 ($772,000).
However, GoldWin was found to have ceased accepting Dutch players, so it will not be subject to additional fines. Yet, the penalty payments decision remains on the books and can be enforced in future if GoldWin commences transacting in the Netherlands again.
Chairman Comments on the Fines
René Jansen is the chairman of the KSA, and he provided a few notable remarks about these recent enforcement actions. (The quotation below has been translated from Dutch to English)
It must pay off for providers of games of chance to offer their games legally.
That is only possible if we take the wind out of illegal supply.
We are fully committed to stopping these practices.
Similar Sanctioning Bodies Around the World
Although the KSA is the major independent administrative body enforcing gambling rules in the Netherlands, there are many other agencies located in various parts of the world that function somewhat similarly to the KSA.
The ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) is the main agency responsible for regulating Australian gambling. The ACMA has penalized many operators in the past in addition to placing numerous supposedly illegal gambling sites on a blacklist of disallowed websites.
The ACMA has been on quite a rampage over the past few years. Just last month, the ACMA blocked 3 supposedly illegal gambling sites including CS:GO Roll. Back in April, the ACMA blocked Firefox Casino and a few other gambling sites.
Another example of a somewhat similar regulatory body is the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). The UKGC enforces gambling laws relating to the United Kingdom and has issued some of the largest fines we have encountered in the past. In March, for instance, the UKGC levied a massive £19.2 million ($24 million) fine against William Hill.
Safe Poker and Online Gambling Still Available in Most Jurisdictions
The strict regulation of gambling in the Netherlands may leave many players wondering if there are any reasonable options for online gambling or poker. Fortunately, there are still a number of offshore sites that offer reliable online poker and gambling to players in the Netherlands.
Our top recommendation would have to be Sportsbetting.ag as it offers plenty of generous bonuses and has an excellent reputation for offering fair poker and online gambling. To learn more, please feel free to peruse this detailed review of SB Poker.
Players who reside elsewhere may wish to consult our detailed location-specific guides included below:
- US Online Poker
- Canadian Online Poker
- Australian Online Poker
