Dutch government launches consultation on egaming regulations
Operators have until 18 September to give their feedback on proposals, including bonus restrictions
The Dutch government has launched a consultation on the rules and regulations that will govern the country’s new egaming market when it launches in 2021.
Responses are requested from interested operators, individuals working in the field of gambling addiction, financial services providers, sports clubs and the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA).
The government-led consultation, which closes on 18 September, also asks for responses from inspection and certification bodies, tax authorities and the Netherlands Financial Intelligence unit.
It confirms the initial application fee for an egaming licence will be €45,000 (£40,000), with an administrative charge of €500. Operators who are reassessed i.e. in terms of their reliability or for a licence renewal will be required to pay €8,000.
Under the proposed rules, advertising which features individual athletes is prohibited apart from sponsorships.
The use of bonuses by operators is heavily restricted, with an obligation to inform the player of “clearly and comprehensibly” the content of the bonus and the conditions for payment of the bonus.
In addition, operators must allow players to suspend the offer of bonuses where required.
The Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, which issued the consultation paper
Operators will be required to retain player data for a period of three years after the termination of that players account. They must also ensure that they do not encourage or incite vulnerable persons, i.e. minors or those at risk of gambling to gamble through any website or game.
All staff of licensed operators are obliged to undertake courses on addiction prevention prior to obtaining a licence and operators must have a pre-existing player protection policy against gambling addiction.
The proposed rules require operators to ensure that individuals placing bets are informed of the risk of that bet and are required to take appropriate measures to combat manipulation of sporting events. Under the proposed rules, licensees are obligated to record and confirm receipt of player complaints within 72 hours.
In addition, licensed firms are required to record data surrounding payment transactions made by players and where required pass that data to the Netherlands Financial Intelligence unit.