Adam Roarty is a journalist covering sports betting, regulation, and industry innovation for CasinoBeats. His coverage includes tax increases in the UK, covering breaking stories in the ever-evolving landscape of US betting such as the...
Read Full BioThe Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has fined Unibet for offering unauthorized sports betting markets.
The KSA announced that Unibet has offered several markets that have been prohibited since October 2022. The regulator stated it has frequently warned the company, but “sees insufficient improvement and a real risk of recurrence.”
The unauthorized markets include soccer bets on corner kicks and yellow cards, as well as bets on matches for participants under 21.
As a result of the violations, Unibet has been ordered to pay a fine of €75,000 ($87,000) for every week that it accepted bets on prohibited markets. The total fine is capped at a maximum of €450,000 ($524,000).
Dutch Gambling Laws Becoming Stricter
Under Dutch gambling law, markets that are deemed highly susceptible to spot-fixing are not permitted, such as corner kicks, yellow and red cards, as well as betting on awards judged by panels.
Betting on events that exclusively feature players under the age of 21 is also not allowed.
In addition to the rules around permitted markets, the KSA has also implemented a ban on gambling advertising in sport. The regulator reported that the ban was going smoothly, with only minor violations since it came into force in July this year.
Last year, the KSA placed further restrictions on betting companies, limiting the amount players could deposit to €700 ($796.24) a month.
At the same time, the country raised the taxes on gambling from 30.5% to 34.2%. The increase, in combination with other restrictions, has led to a decrease in tax revenue collected in the country.
KSA chairman Michel Groothuizen was unfazed by the drop in tax revenue, however. He stated: “The measures we have taken to offer players more protection have made it financially more difficult for providers. This has led to a decrease in the gross gambling result for the entire market. Consequently, the gambling tax revenues have also decreased.”
He added: “Even before the increase in gambling tax was implemented, the KSA indicated that this would be the effect.”
Unibet Frequently Fined For Violating Gambling Rules
The latest fine against Unibet adds to a fine of €400,000 ($465,000) by the KSA last year for allowing individuals on the country’s self-excluded list to gamble.
The operator has faced several other penalties in various countries over the past few years, related to anti-money laundering (AML) and other violations, including:
- Denmark orders & reprimands (Feb 2022) – ordered to improve AML controls
- UK $3.93 million (Mar 23, 2023) — fined for AML and safer-gambling failures
- Norway $100,000 a day (Sep 2022) – fined $100,000 a day for operating illegally, eventually forced to withdraw
- Australia $40,000 (May 2023) – fined in New South Wales for illegal advertising
- Sweden $3 million (May 2024) – fined over bonus offer terms, reduced from $10 million on appeal
- Sweden $1 million (May 2025) – fined again for AML deficiencies
- Australia $650,000 (May 2025) – fined for violating self-exclusion list regulations
In response to the last violation in Australia, a spokesperson for the country’s gambling regulator said: “Our investigation found very serious breaches by Unibet over a sustained period of time.”
