Dutch gaming authority the Kansspelautoriteit has confirmed a six month delay to the pending legalisation of the country’s online gambling market.
Sander Dekker, the Dutch justice minister, informed the Netherlands parliament on the delay, with the Remote Gambling Act (Koa) set to “come into effect” on January 1, 2020, six months later than previously planned.
Issuing an update regarding the news the Netherlands regulatory authority noted: “As soon as the Koa Act comes into force, applications for an online gambling license can be submitted to the gaming authority. The plan is that six months later the games of chance market for online games of chance can be opened.”
The KSA has said that the delay is related to a review of secondary licensing conditions published in July of this year, which must be undertaken before the act is formally sanctioned.
Dekker further underlined that secondary provisions needed to be further reviewed, with particular focus paid to IP blocking and age verification requirements. The minister specified that the Koa will need to clarify how it will enforce such blocking to unlicensed gambling websites.
Furthermore, support was issued to a strengthening of controls on age verification requirements, undertaking registration checks on all incumbents and recommending that systems reflect the same standards as state-owned Nederlandse Loterij.
Detailing further insights on consumer protections, it was underlined that Dutch lawmakers had been right not to implement a ‘blanket ban’ on advertising – an issue that a number of ministers had previously called for.
Stressing that “members of the senate have voiced their concerns about the future advertising policies. I take their concerns seriously,” research previously undertaken was highlighted that banning or seriously restricting advertising could negatively impact the desire to channel punters to licensed entities.
Dekker also recommends that the KSA and its related media counterparts bolster monitoring of Dutch licensed entities immediately after the law comes into force.
