SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has been forced to reorganise its legislative schedule in relation to the Netherlands launching its regulated online gambling marketplace.
Issuing a short statement, the regulatory authority for Dutch gambling confirmed that the formal ascension of the ‘Remote Gambling Act’ (KOA Act) would be delayed by a further two months to 1 March 2021.
The delay sees the KSA revise the launch of the Netherlands online gambling marketplace to 1 September 2021, as supported by the launch of ‘CRUKS’ – Dutch gambling’s new centralised player self-exclusion programme for online and land-based gambling verticals.
The KSA confirmed that the two-month delay had been personally ordered by Sander Dekker, Dutch Justice Minister for Legal Protections, seeking to secure more time for key government stakeholders to make the necessary adjustment to imminent market changes.
In July, Dekker and KSA officials had forewarned industry incumbents of potential market delays as a result of COVID-19 disruptions, as the Dutch government forwarded final KOA Act amendments to the European Commission for its competition review.
In its statement, the KSA highlighted that a delay would help Dutch state-owned casino operator Holland Casino undertake necessary changes on safer gambling protocols across all its locations.
Taking control of the KOA Act’s final legislative proceedings, Dekker and the KSA have introduced a number amendments modifying Dutch remote gambling conditions to ensure further customer care and executive responsibilities.
For example, it has modified final KOA Act provisions to include an external audit on licensed operators safer gambling duties, player database protections and record-keeping of all customer interactions.
Ahead of KSA opening its licensing window, chairman René Jansen warned industry incumbents that the regulatory authority would place a deep focus on ‘operator conduct and behaviour‘ prior to market launch.
