SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
L&L Europe has formed a partnership with BetBlocker focused on the Netherlands, with the aim of creating a Dutch language gambling block application ahead of the launch of the country’s online regulated betting market.
The partnership represents an expansion of L&L Europe’s support of BetBlocker, having promoted the tool to its UK customers since 2018.
Jan Wienk, Marketing Manager and Head of Product Development at L&L Europe, said the firm is “really looking forward to kick-off this project and enhancing an already proven safer gambling tool, recognised by the UKGC as effective support for problem gamblers as part of their recovery program”.
He added: “It is also great that further commitment to develop this product coming from Feite Hofman, owner of ‘Pas op met gamen en gokken/Be careful with gaming and gambling’ offering his full support to this project.”
After entering discussions with BetBlocker founder Duncan Garvie, the two organisations made the decision to cooperate on a Dutch language gamlbing block application.
L&L Europe will provide resources to translate the BetBlocker website and application into Dutch, and will also assist in ensuring Dutch bettors have easy access to support services in their native language.
“The BetBlocker tool is useful for any player who needs help to manage their gambling regardless of where in the world they live,” said Garvie. “We have wanted to expand BetBlocker into other languages for a long time.
“However the challenges of sourcing charitable funding limits our capacity to provide multi-language support, and with the majority of our funding coming via the UKGC licensing system, that funding has to be targeted towards supporting UK players primarily.”
The collaboration begins ahead of the launch of the Netherlands’ first regulated online gambling market, due to officially commence on 1 October 2021, under the terms of the ‘Remote Gambling Act’ (KOA Act).
Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) confirmed in April that it had received 28 individual operator applications to join the new online sector, highlighted as Europe’s next breakout market for igaming and sports betting by EveryMatrix.
Feite Hofman, owner of ‘Pas op gamen en gokken’, commented: “A safer gambling tool like ‘BetBlocker’ doesn’t exist in the Dutch language, as far as I know. I’m glad to deliver my part at this project, although we know that safer gambling tools are not the solution for gambling addiction. It will definitely enlarge the awareness about the risks of gambling too much.”
