KSA chair Jansen urges operators to keep limits in “spirit of the law”

Dutch gaming law requires players to set limits before playing, both in terms of playing time and time spent gambling, but it does not provide guidance to operators for maximum limits for most players.

Jansen referred to a loophole in the current playing limits system, which allows a player older than 23 years of age to set playing time limits of 24 hours a day and seven days a week, plus a deposit limit of €100,000 per day.

While acknowledging that this is permitted within gaming legislation, Jansen suggested that operators shouldn’t look to take advantage of the system and should instead prioritise player safety.

Jansen said: “It may not be to the letter, but it is to the spirit of the law to restrict the limits to be set. Corporate social responsibility also has a moral side. 

“In addition, I cannot imagine that limits such as those mentioned here are necessary to compete with illegal gambling sites.”

Online gambling has been legal in the Netherlands since the market launched on 1 October 2021.

Jansen warned that if operators don’t take the responsibility of setting limits seriously, the government may have to intervene.

“If providers themselves do not take sufficient responsibility, the government will at some point do so,” Jansen added. “This was recently the case in Sweden, where the deposit limit was lowered and a stricter control on advertising was announced. 

“My cautious assessment is that we could also go down that road in the Netherlands. If providers no longer take responsibility, of course.”

Jansen has also previously warned operators to moderate their advertising within the country, so as to avoid the government having to step in and impose stricter marketing laws.