Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has called out TOTO Online for its use of role models in advertising as part of a World Cup marketing campaign on social media, but the operator initially thought the ads were compliant until the regulator’s intervention.
The KSA’s criticism comes as the Dutch government considers an outright ban on gambling advertising and bonuses in the Netherlands iGaming market, as well as strong rumours surrounding plans to increase the minimum gambling age.
A release from the KSA noted that TOTO Online ‘promoted via the social media channels of eight professional football clubs that people could win a club shirt signed by players if they placed a bet of five euros at TOTO Online’.
The regulator viewed this as using role models for promotional purposes, which is not permitted, since former professional footballers were being used in advertising.
The KSA said in a statement: “It was precisely the involvement of these players that made the campaign attractive to support..