Kansspelautoriteit, the Dutch gaming authority, has maintained the pace of its 2023 enforcement crusade after issuing a €675,000 fine to Red Ridge Marketing for advertising illegal online gambling.
The Ksa said that the company had already been imposed with an order subject to periodic penalty payments in a bid to ensure that the aforementioned activities would cease. However, this was not the case, so financial action has been taken.
It is said that “various Red Ridge websites” were found to “contain careless and misleading statements about online casinos without a Dutch licence”.
This included the promotion of unlimited playing and betting, negative statements regarding the Cruks self-exclusion system, and “talk about the ‘advantages’ of illegal online casinos for young people”.
Furthermore, it is also suggested that it is incorrectly stated that illegal online casinos are safe to play because they have a licence from foreign regulators.
René Jansen, Chair of the Ksa, who confirmed that Red Ridge has not yet responded to the cease and desist order or to the fine imposed, said :“Promoters of illegal games of chance providers also receive our attention.
“They must also comply with the law, especially when it comes to protecting young adults. We will do everything we can to stop these practices.”
Already this year, the Ksa has been on something of a regulatory rampage after issuing a slew of sanctions, which includes handing out penalties of €900,000 to Shark77, €400,000 to Joi Gaming, €350,000 to Bingoal and €900,000 each to Equinox Dynamic from Curaçao and Slovakia’s Domiseda and Partners.
Furthermore, a total of €26m in penalties was handed down to N1 Interactive (€12.64m), Videoslots (€9.87m), Betpoint Group (€1.78m), Probe Investments (€1.12m) and Fairload (€900,000), as part of a total package of €26m.
During the current month, the Ksa also voiced an intention to collect a €4.41m penalty payment from Gammix after an appeal to the sanction was rejected, with Hillside New Media Malta, bet365’s Malta-based operating company, fined €400,000.
