iGaming Industry in the Netherlands & Upcoming Regulations
The Netherlands is among the last great European nations to regulate the iGaming industry within its borders. The local operators have been vying for regulations for a while now and the government finally decided to take action starting in 2021.
The Dutch Government sent additional details of its proposed iGaming regulation to the European Commission to review. The latest revision includes a clear stand on record-holding, technical standards, reporting requirements, and interventional licenses if and when players show symptoms of gambling addiction.
The Measures Suggested
According to the regulations, the operators are required to abide by Random Number Generators with unpredictable results to keep the games provably fair and avoid manipulations at all costs. The operators are in charge of ensuring live casino online games are protected against unauthorized access and phishing attempts.
The license holders must also refrain from using misleading names for licensed games while sports betting is banned on negative events like yellow cards in football or on events that have no direct impact on the outcome of the game. On the subject of reporting, the license holders must submit annual reports including data on the number of registered players, rejected registrations, diligence reports, suspected complaints, and integrity breaches.
The Highlights of the Dutch Remote Gambling Act
The Dutch regulator, Kansspelautoriteit, has the ability to request reports frequently and the operators are bound to submit all requested information diligently and within the stipulated deadline. The licensees must also share spending data of the average gambler and analyze such information on multiple verticals.
The regulation also suggested six possible ways in which the operators might deal with problem gambling and choose an appropriate measure depending on the player’s age, reaction to past events, and activity. If accepted by the EC, the Dutch Remote Gambling Act could come into force as early as January 2021, and the first licenses issued by July!
Licensees are at liberty to highlight problematic behavioral patterns among the regulars and advise and encourage addicts for treatment. The operators can also instruct players to set aside a wagering budget and allot specific time limits to slowly curb the habit. The license holders are also expected to offer gamblers an explicit explanation of why each of the intervention methods was chosen.
Exclusive Chat Room for Problematic Female Gamblers
While there are dedicated platforms handling drug rehabilitation, alcohol addiction, and more, gambling addiction is often ignored. There is no dearth of discussion on the subject of gambling and its ill effects on society. However, hardly any resources are spared to combat its side-effects.
That is bound to change soon with a novel project initiated in the UK to open an online chat room exclusively for female gamblers. The first round of the experimental project was hosted by GamCare in September and the response was positive. The novel idea could be implemented across Europe soon, and numerous surveys are currently being conducted across the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK to gauge the market response.
