GiG affiliate subsidiary hit with Dutch enforcement action

GiG’s affiliate subsidiary Innovation Labs is facing regulatory enforcement action in Holland over its casino domain www.topcasinobonus.nu.

The Duthc regulator KSA said the site was published in the Dutch language, which is part of the KSA’s prioritisation criteria that determines whether the operator can be investigated for operating egaming illegally.

The website ends in the non-country specific dot.nu URL, but players on the dot.nl Netherlands-targeted page were also redirected automatically to the dot.nu site.

A series of appeals from GiG and Innovation Labs since November 2017 prevented details of the case being published until 6 March, when the regulator formally rejected the appeals.

The KSA said Innovation Labs would face a charge of €1,500 per day, up to a maximum of €21,000, for each day the site is live following the date of the charge being levied (6 March).

However, the site has currently stopped directing traffic to online casino sites, and now reads: “Due to current legislation on online gambling in the Netherlands, TopCasinoBonus.nu cannot show online casinos and we cannot advertise online casino bonuses and free spin promotions.”

The KSA also dropped all complaints that were originally made against GiG, as Innovation Labs Limited has ultimate responsibility for the website in breach.

GiG has since published an official response to the ruling, saying Innovation Labs had taken all steps necessary to remove advertising and affiliate links on its website following the initial contact from the KSA in December 2017

The operator said it welcomed the adoption the Dutch remote Gambling Bill and would continue to comply with the prioritisation criteria before aiming to enter the regulated market.

“The orders subject to a penalty accepted by Innovation Labs Ltd do not qualify as a fine and does not impact GiG’s eligibility to apply for a future Dutch licence,” added the operator.