KSA hits Curaçao operator with €600K penalty

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands gambling regulatory authority, has imposed fines totalling €600,000 on Curaçao-based operator Virtual Coin Gaming NV for ‘offering illegal games of chance’.

Publishing its enforcement notice, KSA named Virtual Coin Gaming as the operating firm of unlicensed domains futgalaxy.nl and futgamer.net – websites deemed to be actively targeting Dutch consumers.

The KSA was forced to take immediate action, as it revealed that both websites had allowed minors and ‘young adults’ to engage with their services – leading the KSA to increase its penalties. 

Furthermore, the regulator has issued a separate €100,000 fine to an unnamed ‘private individual’ associated with running the websites’ illegal operations.  

The regulator reminded foreign and domestic operators that the Netherlands current gambling regulations are governed by laws of the existing ‘Games of Chance Act’.

At present, KSA is preparing the final technical arrangements for the launch of its licensing window of the ‘KOA Act’ in March – allowing licensed operators to join the Netherlands new regulated online gambling market from September. 

“The current law does not make it possible to apply for a license for online games of chance. This will change due to the Remote Gambling Act (KOA Act),” said the KSA. 

“That law will come into effect in 2021. Under strict conditions, it will be possible to obtain a license for offering games of chance via the internet. Supervision is then possible so that players can play protected.”