Dutch media groups agree to advertising blackout

The Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has reached an agreement with eight of the country’s biggest media companies to ban advertising from unlicensed operators.

Among the media groups agreeing to the deal are Fox Netherlands, RTL Netherlands and the media and marketing division of the Eredivisie, the country’s top football league, with the KSA saying it will look to expand the number of companies in the future.

The deal blocks advertising across print media, radio, TV and online from operators who fail to gain a licence when the Remote Gambling Act passes into law. Currently adverts for online gambling are not sanctioned by the regulator.

“We think this deal will be effective in combating illegal offerings. If you take the television companies signed up to the deal, they cover 80-90% of all TV coverage in the Netherlands. The affiliate marketer we have signed up covers 80% of the affiliate market,” Martijn van de Koolwijk, KSA spokesperson, said.

“Even if you advertise with a company not in the agreement, you will be fined through the regulator and the broadcaster can also be fined,” he added.

The process towards regulation is currently at a secondary procedural stage, with MPs having a chance to ask final questions. If any questions from the meeting can be answered by the ministry by the end of the summer recess, then a plenary debate on the bill could take place this autumn.

There is hope that the bill could be passed before the end of the year, with the full implementation pencilled in for April 2017 at the earliest.