Dutch regulator begins testing of CRUKS self-exclusion scheme  

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands gambling regulatory authority, will begin live testing of ‘CRUKS’ – Dutch gambling’s national self-exclusion scheme next week. 

Continuing its testing phase of key market technical provisions, KSA has called on all interested parties to trial the CRUKS system, which will be beta tested from 14 December.

CRUKS is the KSA managed and controlled self-exclusion scheme tasked with maintaining a centralised database that will impede vulnerable gamblers from registering and playing at land-based venues or licensed online gambling operators.

Ahead of launching the Netherlands licensing window on 1 March 2021, KSA has warned online gambling operators that they must be fully aware of their conditions in referring players to the CRUKS system.

Ahead of the Dutch online gambling’s regulated market launch on 1 September 2021, licensed operators must ensure that they integrated directly with CRUKS and further tested its referral scheme as pre-conditions set by the new ‘Remote Gambling Act’ (KOA Act).

Following last-minute amendments, the Dutch government redesigned CRUKS to be the most comprehensive gambling self-exclusion scheme.

Dutch citizens that want to gamble must register their ‘public service code’ (BSN) details with CRUKS, which will generate a ‘CRUKS code’ for first-time gamblers, whilst cross-referencing codes for self-excluded players.

Licensed operators must ensure that all registering customers are cross-referenced with the CRUKS database as a customer on-boarding and KYC requirement. 

Under KOA laws, KSA will conduct audits of individual operator’s player databases, ensuring that no self-excluded player has registered or wagered with the licensee.