Dutch Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind revealed plans for restrictions expected to become law later in the year. Parliament approved a motion calling for an all-out ban on gambling advertising introduced by Socialist Party MP Michiel van Nispen, according to iGaming Business.
Weerwind informed van Nispen and other lawmakers that he “will make every effort to achieve further restrictions on advertising for high-risk games of chance as soon as possible.”
A draft text for a ban is being written and an amendment to the Gambling Act could be introduced by summer. Meanwhile, Weerwind may issue a decree to ban the use of all role models in gambling advertising.
The Minister worried that restrictions in other areas could result in more online marketing. To offset this, he’ll see about a time window for online banners and videos on recruitment, advertising, and addiction prevention.
These actions come in close proximity to the legislation allowing online gambling which took effect at the end of last year.
In advance of the advertising restriction legislation, Weerwind worked with industry groups like the Netherlands Online Gambling Association on a series of proposals to limit advertising and protect vulnerable groups.
Proposals limit gambling commercials on television between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and a ban on advertising on radio and in print. A month ago, the industry agreed to put a limit on the number of betting ads per commercial block to one. Weerwind said the sector organizations could implement agreements as early as April 1
“With these measures, untargeted advertising for online games of chance will be severely limited in the shortest possible time, in anticipation of a change in the law. I’ve also been in talks with addiction treatment centers. They have told me that the sheer volume of gambling advertisements leads to unrest among recovering addicts.”
