Netherlands gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has warned online betting operators that if they flood the time around the FIFA World Cup tournament with advertising they risk a political reaction.
KSA Chairman René Jensen posted the warning on the agency’s blog, noting that the Minister of Justice Franc Weerwind, whose portfolio includes the gaming industry, had urged a moderation of advertising before, during and after the tournament.
Weerwind has been prominent in urging a crackdown on gaming advertising related to sports. His legislation will ban untargeted advertising of “games of chance” by early next year and completely prohibit sports sponsorships by 2025.
That doesn’t affect the upcoming World Cup, but Jensen advised, “Of course I understand that a World Cup is an excellent opportunity to draw attention to the range of sports betting,” adding, “Nevertheless, I very much hope that the same mistake will not be made after October 1, 2021, when the legal market for online games of chance opened in the Netherlands.”
The opening of the market and the resulting “bombardment of advertising” stirred up such hostility that Weerwind, “was forced to intervene,” said Jensen.
Other new laws include a limit on the use of “role models” such as influencers and sports celebrities in gaming advertising.
He concluded his warning: “Earning money quickly and gaining additional market share should not be considered more important than carefully and jointly building a sector where consumers can enjoy recreational and controlled participation in games of chance in a safe environment.”
