.svg)
The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has begun applying a new policy for handing out fines, including three types of fines and different categories of punishment depending on the violation.
The new general fine policy came into force on January 1, according to its publication in the government gazette on January 2, 2025.
Under the policy, there are three types of fines: a standard fine; a turnover-related fine of up to 10 percent; and a benefit-related fine.
There are five categories of standard fines, with category 1 ranging from €0 to €500 and category 5, which is reserved for violations of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act (Wwft), ranging from €0 to €4m.
For non-Wwft violations in category 4, the KSA can also impose a turnover-related fine of 3 percent of the offender's gross turnover.
A violation’s seriousness, repeat offending, cooperation and other factors all affect the final fine size. The update in the government gazette includes a step-by-step guide on how this process is undertaken and the category each violation falls under.
Key aims of the new policy include providing more clarity for gambling industry stakeholders under the supervision of the KSA and deterring future enforcement breaches.
Michel Groothuizen, chairman of the board at the KSA, said the policy reflects the regulator's increasingly professional approach to its supervision responsibilities.
“After the opening of the online market in 2021, we were given a new category of licence holders. In 2022, we imposed the first fine on a licence holder. We have now gained enough experience to arrive at a well-considered fine policy for both licence holders and other parties. This creates clarity for the parties under our supervision and hopefully motivates them even more to avoid fines,” Groothuizen said.
The KSA also clarified that it has a separate fine policy for supplying illegal online gambling, illegal gaming machines and terminals.
Changes are expected to the Dutch gambling market this year, with lawmakers set to discuss gambling regulation on March 27.
Before the discussion takes place, Teun Struycken, the state secretary for legal protection, said he would share his response to the “evaluation of the Remote Gambling Act” published in November 2024, which proposed “urgent” changes to protect consumers from gambling-related harm, including “shielding” vulnerable groups from gambling adverts.
