The Dutch Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the national gambling authority, has levied substantial fines against three companies: SBM Holding Group, Sun Block Media Labs 2.0, and JEF Holdings. These entities now face weekly penalties of €75,000 (approximately $87,685) each for persistent promotion of illegal online gambling activities.
This enforcement action stems from the companies’ continued advertising of unlicensed gambling operators via the website CasinoScout.nl. While the site initially adhered to regulations by only advertising licensed providers, a shift in ownership led to a resumption of promotions for illegal gambling platforms.
Despite receiving formal warnings from the KSA, the companies failed to comply. This prompted the regulator to take decisive action, resulting in the temporary shutdown of CasinoScout.nl. Although the site briefly returned online, employing an IP block to circumvent Dutch access restrictions, further investigation revealed the continued promotion of unauthorized gambling services.
The KSA’s investigation also uncovered a link between CasinoScout.nl and besteonlinecasinonederland.com, another website owned by the same three companies, which also advertised illegal gambling options. Consequently, the fines extend to both platforms.
The penalties reflect the KSA’s ongoing commitment to combatting illegal gambling. This action follows positive trends in the Dutch market, with the KSA noting that 93% of Dutch players now utilize licensed online gambling platforms, a consequence of the strengthened consumer protection regulations. The authority also recently expressed its satisfaction with the outcomes of its sports sponsorship ban and the increased effectiveness of player protection measures.
