Netherlands’ gaming regulatory body Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has announced that the country’s online gaming industry is now likely to open six months later than originally planned.
Minister for Legal Protection Sander Dekker told parliament that iGaming legislation is now expected to take effect in January 2021 with the launch to follow in June, 2021.
Before the Remote Gaming Act can be implemented, secondary regulations published in June must be passed, and licensing conditions finalized.
Dekker discussed a motion asking the government to consider a ban on the advertising of iGaming; in his opinion, he said, advertising is necessary in order to channel players to the legal market.
“The current gambling policy involves channeling players to legal site through attractive offers,” he said. “This implies that the offer must be sufficiently suitable and attractive for the players to guide players to the legal, reliable and responsible supply. The research conducted shows that channelization requires some advertising.
“For providers of online gambling,” he continued, “advertising is even more important than for providers of offline games of chance, such as traditional casinos. Possible customers can encounter a casino in the street, even if they do not first see advertising. It appears that banning or seriously restricting gambling advertising is a serious negative can have effects on the degree of channeling.”
The KSA currently expects to award up to 90 licenses when the market opens.
