The Dutch online betting platform BetCity, owned by Entain, has been ordered to pay a €2.65 million fine after the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) determined that the operator failed to comply with responsible gaming requirements. Investigators concluded that BetCity did not adequately monitor or intervene when young adults incurred substantial financial losses while gambling on the site.

The KSA began looking into BetCity after receiving reports of major losses among young gamblers, triggering a formal examination of player accounts between July 2022 and February 2023. The inquiry focused on 10 young adults aged 18 to 23 who had collectively deposited more than €500,000 over a relatively short period. In every account that regulators reviewed, they found violations tied to insufficient intervention and oversight.

One example included a young gambler who lost €63,000 over the course of a year, with €43,000 of that total racked up in a single month. In another case, an individual lost €80,000 within a year without the platform adjusting the player’s betting limits. There were reports of a separate case involving a 21-year-old who lost €45,000 in two weeks. The regulator noted that intervention only occurred after the player had wagered €64,000, and even then, BetCity merely reduced the maximum stake from €100,000 to €400 — a step judged to be far too late and insufficient to prevent significant loss.

According to the KSA, BetCity’s attempts to guide players — including recommending lower betting limits and offering a link to responsible gambling information — did not satisfy its duty-of-care standards. Regulators stressed that young adults are considered a vulnerable demographic and require heightened supervision, particularly when displaying signs of excessive or risky behavior.

Regulator Emphasizes Strict Oversight and Duty of Care

The ruling underscores the regulator’s focus on safeguarding consumers and enforcing responsible gambling protocols across the market. KSA chair Michel Groothuizen reaffirmed the authority’s stance, stating: “We have a licensed gambling market based on the principle that anyone who wants to gamble can do so safely. Therefore, providers have a duty of care to their players and must respond appropriately to excessive gambling. Large losses are an important signal of this. We have intensified our oversight of the online duty of care, and we are taking strong action against violations like those we observe here at Betcity. We truly do not want to see providers fail so badly in their duty of care, especially for vulnerable young players.”

The regulator acknowledged BetCity’s claim that large wagers do not always imply financial distress but highlighted that none of the examined cases showed evidence that the users could afford the high-risk activity. The findings led the agency to conclude that the company had not performed sufficient checks or provided adequate protection measures.

BetCity Responds as Fines Continue to Mount

BetCity’s penalty follows two other enforcement actions in the past three years, including a €3 million fine in late 2023 for anti-money-laundering and responsible-gambling shortcomings and a €400,000 penalty earlier that year for advertising violations. The operator’s compliance record has increasingly drawn scrutiny from regulators, emphasizing heightened expectations for operators in the Dutch market.

A BetCity representative addressed the ruling, telling NEXT.io: “We acknowledge the KSA’s findings in this case. This legal action concerns the historical failures of BetCity’s previous owner and management, Sports Entertainment Media.
Since acquiring BetCity in January 2023, Entain has thoroughly reviewed and significantly strengthened all operational processes to enhance player protection and maintain best practices in responsible gambling.”

While earlier reporting suggested BetCity planned to dispute the fine in court, the most recent decision followed an unsuccessful appeal attempt in August, leaving the penalty in place.

The enforcement action signals a growing regulatory focus on duty-of-care obligations in the Netherlands, particularly concerning vulnerable young bettors. With BetCity facing its third major sanction within a brief span, the ruling serves as a warning that authorities will continue to impose strict consequences for operators that fail to put consumer protections at the forefront of their business practices.