Kindred hit with €470,000 Dutch fine
Operator will appeal ruling and says it aims to obtain a licence as soon as Dutch market opens
Kindred has been hit with a €470,000 fine by the Dutch regulator for targeting Dutch consumers last year.
The Dutch Gaming Authority said its research showed that Unibet was offering online gambling to Dutch consumers from 11 August 2018 to 27 December 2018.
According to the KSA: “It was possible to pay with the Dutch payment method iDEAL and a Dutch-language chat service was available. Furthermore, the terms and conditions on the site included a list of countries whose residents were excluded from participation. The Netherlands was not listed here.”
Kindred said it will appeal the fine as it awaits the secondary legislation on the forthcoming regulated market and more clarity around licensing conditions.
The operator said in a statement: “Kindred respects any requests from the Dutch regulator and is fully compliant with the rules set out by the Ministry of Justice and Security earlier this year.
“Kindred remains committed to having a constructive dialogue with the regulator and other stakeholders.
“While anticipating the establishment of a regulated online gambling market in 2021, Kindred aims to play a leading role in promoting Dutch gambling policy objectives, such as consumer protection.”
Kindred is the latest major operator to be fined by the KSA, joining the likes of Betsson, GVC and William Hill.
Initial legislation suggests that companies would be prevented from applying for a Dutch licence for two years after the time they actively targeted the Dutch market.
This suggests Kindred might be forced to wait to apply until December 2020 rather than July 1, 2020 when other operators can apply.
Kindred said it “remains committed” to obtaining a licence “as soon as the Dutch market opens”.
The operator added: “Learnings from previously re-regulated markets in Europe, most recently in Sweden, show that obtaining a high level of channelisation from the outset is imperative to ensure a successful and functioning market with strong consumer protection.”
The firm’s share price was down 3% in early trading.
