SBC News

An evaluation of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA) in the Netherlands has highlighted critical failings and gaps in legislation protecting consumers and vulnerable groups.

The House of Representatives has received the ‘WODC Report,’ conducted by the Research Agency for Justice and Security, which evaluates the Remote Gambling Act (KOA) – the legislative framework that launched the Dutch online gambling marketplace in October 2021.

The three-year evaluation determined ‘mixed outcomes’ for the policy objectives sought by KOA, which aimed “to create a responsible, reliable, and verifiable gambling offer and to direct players to this regulated offer”.

While the legislation has developed a reliable alternative to unlicensed options, the report deems that policies have failed to establish ‘responsible gambling environments.’ This shortfall is attributed to KOA not intending to drive demand for online gambling.

KOA is criticised for maintaining an ‘open mechanism’ that allows potentially unli..

VBet has linked up with Mindway AI to introduce advanced responsible gaming measures in the Netherlands.

The deal – which focuses on integrating Mindway AI’s GameScanner tech – aims to leverage AI and neuroscience to monitor player behaviour and identify early signs of risky gambling.

VBet Regional Director for the Netherlands, Ed Quigley, commented: “The collaboration between VBET and Mindway AI in NL will have a transformative effect on our compliance needs in The Netherlands. VBet will now be better served to proactively detect early signs of problem gambling through its AI technology.

“The partnership enables VBet to offer an even safer igaming environment for our players in the Netherlands which is core to our values.”

In further detail, the collaboration is designed to enhance VBet’s compliance with responsible gaming regulations and provide a safer environment for its users.

The move is also said to align with the group’s long-standing commitment to creating an environm..

Two new websites have been launched in the Netherlands to warn Dutch consumers about the dangers of using illegal gambling offerings.

The sites, published by gambling news outlet CasinoNiuews.nl, can be visited here and here. They come at a time of increased concerns regarding the influence of illegal gambling offerings on vulnerable groups.

One of the most recent cases is the warning issued by Kansspelautoriteit, the national gambling regulator, to gambling firm BlokDance for targeting Dutch players without the necessary licence.

Following this, the CasinoNieuws project will help shine more light on the potential harms of using an offering where there are no guarantees on the effectiveness of player protection measures in place, if any.

Frank Op de Woerd, Editor-in-Chief of CasinoNieuws.nl, commented: “Because of my work as editor-in-chief of CasinoNieuws.nl, where we write daily about online gambling, I see the dangers of illegal gambling sites up close.

“The illegal casino..

Sportradar has signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement (ACT) with the Brazilian Ministry of Finance, through the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting.

The pair will collaborate activities focused on safeguarding the integrity of the newly regulated sports betting and online gaming market.

The ACT aims to support the technical staff of the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, given their responsibility at the national level to coordinate the authorisation, inspection and sanctioning process of operators that provide online games and sports betting.

Felippe Marchetti, Sportradar’s Manager for Integrity Partnerships in Brazil, described the signing of the ACT as a ‘proud occasion’ for the company.

“We appreciate the trust shown by the Brazilian Ministry of Finance in the expertise of Sportradar’s Integrity Services division,” Marchetti added. “This ACT reflects a mutual commitment to establish a sustainable, regulated sports betting industry in Brazil that is built upon a foundation of..

Sportradar has signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement (ACT) with the Brazilian Ministry of Finance, through the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting.

The pair will collaborate activities focused on safeguarding the integrity of the newly regulated sports betting and online gaming market.

The ACT aims to support the technical staff of the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, given their responsibility at the national level to coordinate the authorisation, inspection and sanctioning process of operators that provide online games and sports betting.

Felippe Marchetti, Sportradar’s Manager for Integrity Partnerships in Brazil, described the signing of the ACT as a ‘proud occasion’ for the company.

“We appreciate the trust shown by the Brazilian Ministry of Finance in the expertise of Sportradar’s Integrity Services division,” Marchetti added. “This ACT reflects a mutual commitment to establish a sustainable, regulated sports betting industry in Brazil that is built upon a foundation of..

Jake Pollard
French casino operators are ready to consult with the government on all the key issues following withdrawal of online casino amendment from the Budget 2025.

Casinos de France, the trade body representing the country’s 200 French land-based casinos, has told Gaming&Co that it is looking forward to discussing online casino regulations when it meets with the government next week, and reiterated its call for the country’s physical casinos to be given priority to operate the vertical digitally.

Philippe Bon, CEO of CdF, said that the organisation was also willing to study the different regulatory formats that could be proposed by members of AFJEL, the French online gaming association, but that there had been no contact between the two groups.

French exception
The regulation of online casino as part of an open market model has long been called for by AFJEL, but Bon said any such project must take into account France’s very specific land-based casino environment.

“People say..

GambleAware fully supports the global findings and recommendations from The Lancet Public Health Commission on Gambling.

Recognised as a leading medical research journal, The Lancet published its report on the impact of gambling on “worldwide health and wellbeing” on 24 October.

The report provides groundbreaking global estimates of gambling prevalence, stating that “46.2% of adults and 17.9% of adolescents had engaged in gambling in the past year, globally. While only a small proportion of individuals will be classified as engaging in problematic gambling (1.4%).”

According to The Lancet, governments have neglected and understudied gambling disorders, especially as online platforms have broken down traditional barriers to gambling. Researchers estimate that globally, 448 million adults are at risk of gambling-related harm, with 80 million experiencing gambling disorders.

The Lancet Commission stresses the need for stronger global regulations to reduce the health and social harms c..

The European Commission (EC) has extended the ‘standstill period’ for Italy’s new tender for online gambling concessions until 18 November.

The decision follows a ‘detailed opinion’ submitted by the government of Malta, raising concerns over the technical and compliance requirements for B2B businesses in Italy’s new licensing framework for online gambling.

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) argues that Italy will impose ‘unnecessary barriers’ on B2B businesses, such as system and platform suppliers, by enforcing ‘duplicate requirements’ on technical procedures and compliance controls.

In response, the MGA warned the EC: “Member States should recognise that B2B operators may already hold licences in other Member States and may be subject to myriad requirements and checks, which could easily be mutually recognised if a cooperation framework is set up for this purpose.”

Italian authorities must provide ‘sufficient justification’ for imposing additional technical requirements on B2B busi..

The Senate of Brazil has “partially delayed” the Commission of Inquiry (CPI) investigations aimed at reviewing the laws, standards, and protections of the Bets regime.

The CPIs will serve as the Senate’s evaluation of Brazil’s fixed-odds and online gambling market under the Bets framework, scheduled to launch in 2025.

The Senate’s evaluation, assigned to the “CPI of Bets,” will examine the financial impact of online gambling on Brazilian citizens, communities, and family finances.

Additionally, the “CPI of Integrity” will assess the threats and exposure of Brazilian sports (professional and amateur) to gambling manipulation and fraud.

On Friday, the Senate confirmed it had delayed the CPI of Bets as it has yet to decide which Senators will work on the inquiry.

Senator Soraya Thronicke from Mato Grosso do Sul, who proposed the CPI to the Senate, will serve as the inquiry’s rapporteur but has not yet been assigned a team. Thronicke has been granted 130 days and a budget of R$ 110,00..

The government of France has withdrawn the ‘proposed amendments’ to the 2025 Budget to legislate and launch an online casino market.

The decision was announced on Sunday by Budget Minister Laurent Saint-Martin, who stated that further consultations were needed to avoid the negative impacts and job losses warned by regional stakeholders.

“There was talk that the government would submit an amendment. This is no longer the case. I believe we need to work among ourselves first,” the Minister stated on Radio J this weekend.

“I am very vigilant about this issue. We must not make mistakes. We must ensure that it doesn’t harm certain stakeholders, especially land-based casinos.”

As a result, France will maintain its 2010 gambling laws, upholding a fragmented marketplace that regulates sports betting, horseracing, and poker, but prohibits online casino activities.

The intervention follows Prime Minister Michel Barnier allowing France’s Budget 2025 to include an amendment for online casino ..