Dutch Gaming Authority clamps down on unlicenced affiliate sites
26 affiliate marketing sites censured for offering links to illegal gambling
The Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) has forced 23 affiliate marketing websites to stop offering links to unauthorised online gambling sites.
In an update today, the KSA said it examined 44 affiliate marketing sites available to Dutch consumers, establishing that 26 were featuring adverts for unauthorised gambling sites.
Of these 20 sites immediately ceased featuring these ads when notified by the KSA, while a further three sites withdrew ads after the KSA threatened them with financial penalties.
Investigations against three of the affiliate marketing websites highlighted are still ongoing.
This is the second time that the KSA has targeted affiliate marketing sites. During a similar investigation conducted in April 2017, 17 affiliate marketing sites were forced to remove ads for online gambling sites.
Under Dutch law offering illegal gambling or featuring advertising for illegal gambling sites is prohibited.
As a part of the Dutch prioritisation criteria any website which has a .nl extension, or any site which utilise the Dutch language or feature prominent Dutch symbols such as tulips or windmills can be investigated by the KSA.
The regulator is aiming to start taking licence applications on 1 July 2020.