Steve Hoare

The Netherlands Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has imposed a penalty on Optdeck, the local operator behind the Unibet brand.

Unibet’s Dutch domain has been penalised for offering bets on prohibited markets. The bets included ones on corner kicks, yellow cards and matches involving players under the age of 21.

The violations occurred multiple times between October 2022 and May 2025, with the KSA imposing a weekly fine of €75,000, capped at €450,000.

The KSA had previously addressed Unibet regarding these offerings but found the company’s actions insufficient to prevent recurrence.

The authority explained on its website: “Under Dutch gambling law, betting on certain matches and event components is prohibited. This is to protect the integrity of the sport and prevent manipulation of these bets.”

The ruling aims to underline the regulator’s focus on protecting the integrity of sporting events and ensuring operators comply with Dutch law. Operators offering bets on specific match events or youth competitions face strict oversight, with penalties applied when violations occur.

More power pending
As the Netherlands moves towards its October general election, gambling is starting to take a key place in the political debate.

The centre-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), led by Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, has set out its stance in a newly published manifesto. Among the proposals is a plan to hand the KSA broader powers.

The VVD believes a stronger regulator would be able to oversee the online market more effectively, limit gambling-related harm and deal more decisively with illegal activity.

By including gambling policy in its election programme, the party has opened the door for the sector to become a bigger talking point during campaigning, alongside other consumer protection issues.

The topic had already been on the government agenda for some time, but a package of reforms was shelved when the government collapsed in June. Although it remains firmly on the general political agenda, as seen by the VVD’s policies, the Minister responsible for tabling the reforms has now vacated his position for unrelated reasons.

Not Unibet’s first regulatory rodeo this year
Meanwhile, this is not the first penalty this year for the Unibet brand. Over in Australia, the company was fined AU$1m (£480,700/€560,100) a few months back for failing to shut down hundreds of customer accounts linked to Australia’s national self-exclusion system.

The country’s Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said its investigation found that the FDJ United-owned company had breached the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 more than 100,000 times.

At the centre of the case were 954 accounts that were not closed after players registered with BetStop, the country’s National Self-Exclusion Register (NESR). The ACMA highlighted that 45 of these accounts remained active for more than 190 days after exclusion.

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Spelinspektionen, the Gambling Inspectorate of Sweden has launched “a new chapter “of its nationwide campaign to increase awareness of gambling risks and harms amongst youth and young adult audiences.

Launched as the fourth chapter of Spelinspektionen’s ‘youth protections series’, the campaign is titled “With your future at stake”.

The messaging shifts focus towards the issue of debt among young adults, a growing concern linked closely to problematic gambling behaviour specifically targeting individuals aged 18 to 25.

The new chapter is designed to highlight the long-term financial risks associated with early gambling habits. According to data from Kronofogden, Sweden’s Debt Agency, more than 31,000 young people in this age group currently have debts registered with the agency, amounting to over SEK 1.9bn (€160m).

Launched in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the Swedish Enforcement Authority, the campaign will roll out nationwide in digital channels and across social media platforms during the autumn, coinciding with the start of the school year – a strategic time to engage the target demographic.

Camilla Rosenberg, Director General of Spelinspektionen, underscored the urgency of the campaign, stating: “Young adults are a group that is particularly vulnerable. Through the campaign, we want to reach them at the right time and provide them with tools to make informed decisions about their gambling.”

While this year’s campaign centres on the financial consequences of gambling, previous efforts by Spelinspektionen have focused on identifying signs of gambling disorder, promoting early interventions with problem gamblers, and increasing awareness of safer gambling tools, including self-exclusion services.

The regulatory protections of Swedish gambling have come under scrutiny, as Spelinspektionen reported that it had failed for the sixth consecutive year to meet its regulated-market channelisation target of 90% (the percentage of consumer gambling spend).

A target in place since the launch of Sweden’s re-regulated online gambling market in 2019, Spelinspektionen noted that channelisation for online casino continues to lag at 75–80%.

This shortfall has prompted criticism of current product and player incentive restrictions, which are seen as making online casino offerings less appealing to consumers.

The Riksdag is now awaiting further recommendations on the future governance of gambling, which are due to be presented by the end of 2025.

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Sweden has yet to achieve the channelisation target rate of 90% for its regulated online gambling marketplace.

The latest channelisation figures, which detail the percentage of consumers gambling spend with licensed operators for 2024 were published by Spelinspektionen, the Gaming Inspectorate of Sweden.

In 2019, Sweden re-regulated its online gambling marketplace under the laws of the Gambling Act of 2018, at the time Swedish authorities and Spelinspektionen set a channelisation target of 90% of spend with licensed operators.

Figures for 2024 show a 1% decline in Swedish gambling’s channelization rate that tracks at 85% (2023: 86%). Yet of utmost concern, Swedish authorities have seen no marked improvement on gambling channelisation, which has remained in the region of 85%-to-87% since the market’s re-launch in 2019.

Stagnant figures are a worry since the inspectorate, with the aid of public health agencies, has launched national campaigns warning Swedish consumers of the dangers of unlicensed gambling.

Further anxieties are detailed as a breakdown reveals that the segment of “nätkasino” (online casino) has indexed a 12-month channelisation rate of between 72–82%. The report highlights concerns that there are periods in the year that see online casino index below 75% channelisation.

The shortfall in online casino channelisation is offset by improved and consistent figures in the online betting segment indexing at 92%-to-96% on a year basis.

The inspectorate reflects on regulatory factors that have impacted the attractiveness of licensed online casinos against the black market.

Amendments to the Gambling Act since 2019, have imposed a limit on Bonus incentives that can only be awarded to customers on sign-up and capped at SEK 100 per customer.

Furthermore in 2023, the government approved new safeguards to impose a Customer Care checks on players meeting thresholds on spend and time spent on platforms.

Feedback from a player survey reveals that many Swedish gamblers choose unlicensed operators due to perceived better chances of winning (35%), having been blocked from licensed sites via Spelpaus.se (23%), more attractive bonus offers (21%), and access to games that are not available on the regulated Swedish market.

The report views Skin Betting, involving virtual in-game items, as a liability grey-area form of gambling, especially popular among younger players as 43% of visits to unlicensed sites were linked to skinbetting content

In response to the latest assessment, BOS, the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling, issued a sharp critique of the government’s failure to act decisively on low channelisation in the online casino market.

“With this assessment, the SGA confirms that Sweden’s major problem in the gambling market is online casinos. It is unacceptable that around a quarter of all online casino gambling is leaking out of the licensed market,”
said Gustaf Hoffstedt, Secretary General of BOS.

Gustaf Hoffstedt – BOS
BOS notes that the SGA’s estimate of 85% channelisation is no longer supported by H2 Gambling Capital, a previously used source, which has since downgraded its Sweden estimate from 91% to just 72%.

Hoffstedt emphasises that the issue is not solely enforcement but also that licensed operators are overly constrained, while unlicensed competitors offer more appealing incentives and fewer limitations.

“Without a review of, for example, the total ban on bonuses and other loyalty programmes, next year’s channelization assessment from the SGA will also be a disappointment,” Hoffstedt warned.

By the close of 2025, independent advisor Marcus Isgren is expected to present proposed amendments to the Gambling Act to the parties of the Riksdag— likely to include measures to criminalise all forms of unlicensed gambling activities targeting national consumers.

BOS supports this step, it warns that unless the licensed market becomes more attractive, enforcement alone will not fix the channelisation issue. As it stands, Sweden’s gambling market remains below target, with online casinos as the weakest link — both in policy outcomes and player trust.

Philippe, the King of Belgium, has confirmed the names of all gambling regulatory members for the next six years.

Listed in the King’s Royal Decree and published in the Official Gazette, all 12 members – six full and six substitutes – step into service to Belgium’s Kansspelcommissie from today (1 September).

A total of five Ministers are represented across the Commission’s ranks – of Finance, Justice, Economy, Interior, and Public Health. Each Ministry has one Dutch-speaking and one French-speaking representative.

An additional two slots were given to the Ministry with responsibility for the National Lottery, which is the Ministry of Finance.

Ministry of Finance
The current top Belgian financier is Jozef Jambon, who besides serving as the Minister of Finance, Pensions, and National Lottery, has also been the Deputy Prime Minister since February 2025.

Jambon will be represented by Anne-Laure Mouligneaux and Ignace Vandewalle as full members of the Commission, who will oversee the financial aspects of gambling regulation – ensuring the compliance of operators with fiscal policies.

Their colleagues, Caroline Dujacquier and Tom Van Caeckenberghe, will represent the Finance Ministry in its role as the patron of the National Lottery.

Also instrumental to the Commission, Dujacquier and Van Caeckenberghe will be in charge of the regulatory compliance of the National Lottery.

This could prove particularly significant given that the government has been on the move to limit gambling ads, which might also affect the lottery’s future marketing campaigns.

Ministry of Justice
Perhaps of even bigger significance, however, will be the roles of Nathalie Patoussa and Daisy Vervenne, who represent the Ministry of Justice.

They will be responsible for shaping Belgium’s player protection policies at a time when stricter regulations are being sought after to reduce the influence of a rampant online black market.

Ministry of Public Health
Of equal importance will be the work of Ferdinand Van Der Gracht and Lena Boons, who are representatives of the Minister of Public Health.

Together they will monitor the implications of gaming on national health, and will devise strategies to combat problem gambling and addiction risks.

Ministry of Economy
The Minister of Economy will be represented by Michaël Stokard and Sahin Yazici.

They will take the lead on assessing the effects that gaming activity has on the national economy, and how it impacts economic growth, employment and market competitiveness.

Both the Ministry of Public Health and Economy could have a role in shaping and driving forward Belgium’s policy around gambling sponsorships and advertising in sports.

The two Ministres will have different things to consider – the Ministry of Public Health likely focused on the potential for gambling advertising to fuel problem gambling, while the Ministry of Economy may look at how crucial a financial lifeline sponsorships are to football clubs.

Ministry of the Interior
And last but not least, gambling’s compliance with public order and societal norms will be overseen by Stéphane Obeid and Béatrice Vossen, representatives of the Minister of the Interior.

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Gambling licences in Ukraine have been informed that their transactions will be recorded by a new ‘State Online Monitoring System’.

The measure was confirmed via a Telegram message issued on Sunday 31 August by the Cabinet of Ministers, governing Ukraine under conflict from Russia.

The Cabinet announced that it had approved a resolution on state registries, enabling all gambling transactions to be track and traced through the monitoring system.

The Online Monitoring System will support PlayCity—the newly established regulatory authority for Ukrainian gambling by enabling real-time tracking of bets, returns, and winnings.

The platform seeks to improve transparency by facilitating the “live verification of operator data to ensure regulatory compliance”, while also allowing PlayCity to publish market volume data providing accurate data for enforcements and policy making.

Integration with the monitoring system will apply to both land-based and online operators, including casinos, arcades, bookmakers, and online poker rooms. A public tender for the platform’s development is expected to be announced shortly, as Kyiv presses ahead with regulatory reforms despite the ongoing war.

PlayCity to bring structural reform
The implementation of the monitoring system forms part of a broader overhaul of Ukraine’s gambling sector, which saw the cabinet dissolve the former regulator, KRAIL – with the agency embroiled in multiple corruption scandals, including allegations of money laundering and ties to Russian operatives.

In its place, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy authorised a new regulator, PlayCity, which officially began operations on 1 April with a mandate to implement state policy across gambling and lotteries, deemed as high risk sectors under conflict.

On 8 April, the Cabinet appointed Hennadiy Novikov as head of PlayCity. Novikov, who previously served as both a member and deputy head of KRAIL, has long-standing ties to the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

PlayCity operates under the supervision of Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and has been tasked with ensuring transparency, protecting consumers, and restoring public trust in the gambling industry.

Licences demand urgent clarity
Ukraine’s government is preparing a slate of legislative changes aimed at tightening control over the sector, including a blanket ban on gambling advertising, a new register for B2B licences, and centralised powers for PlayCity to block illegal gambling websites.

These reforms come amid growing concerns about excessive gambling, with the National Bank warning that Ukrainian citizens are spending nearly UAH 400m (around €8m) daily on online platforms.

Amid the wider regulatory overhaul, Ukrainian gambling operators, many of whom have been sidelined by the conflict, are calling on the government to provide clear, enforceable, and transparent rules due disputed charges placed by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

With former operators facing licence suspensions, account freezes, and blacklisting abroad, stakeholders are urging policymakers to resolve lingering legal ambiguities and establish a stable, fair regulatory framework capable of supporting the sector’s long-term recovery.

The Dutch government is releasing €21m of additional funding for the research and treatment of problem gambling.

With the last substantial funding round taking place in 2023, the ZonMw Prevention of Gambling Addiction research programme will enter its next stage of development. Grants towards the programme are managed by the Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA).

The details around the latest funding were cleared after a meeting between KSA President Michel Groothuizen and ZonMw Director, Véronique Timmerhuis.

Groothuizen said: “The protection of players is an important priority for the KSA. By continuing this program further, we are joining forces to gather more necessary knowledge on this subject, so that we avoid gambling damage as much as possible.”

Running from 2025 to 2030, the programme will tie in research, prevention and treatment efforts into the correlation between gambling harm, its triggers and consequences like financial and health issues.

Work will span across five distinctive projects: vulnerability and player behaviour, early detection, treatment, experimental participation, and the further development of overarching support infrastructure.

The first results will be published within a year, with ZonMw leveraging its digital communication channels to raise awareness about the programme.

Timmerhuis added: ‘It is good that this program aimed at gambling addiction will be continued. A lot of knowledge development is still needed to achieve effective approaches, and to ensure that those approaches are properly put into practice.

“ZonMw can also contribute expertise from other mental health domains and thus play a good connecting role. Step by step we are working on knowledge to better help people with addictions in the future.”

Governing Dutch gambling, Michel Groothuizen has underlined the importance of customer care and one-to-one interactions to ensure intervention with vulnerable and at-risk customers, as a principal duty of operators reporting to the KSA.
Speaking at this year’s Gaming in Holland event, Arjan Blok, CEO of the Nederlandse Loterij, estimated that as much as 25% of the Dutch player share is owned by black market operators.
However, the much needed reforms to expand the scope of player protection in the country are currently being put on ice, with Teun Struycken, the Minister responsible for gambling oversight, handing over his resignation earlier this week.

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