The Dutch Gaming Authority, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has just announced that they will be enforcing tougher restrictions on online casinos and gambling operators that target players from the Netherlands illegally, especially minors from the area. The announcement was posted on their official website as a warning to operators and contained a comment from Henk Kesler, Vice Chairmen of the KSA, who said that it was intolerable to provide minors with access to such sites.

The announcement was posted on their official website as a warning to operators and contained a comment from Henk Kesler, Vice Chairmen of the KSA, who said that it was intolerable to provide minors with access to such sites.

Online gambling reforms have been in the making since last year in the country. Per the current law, online gambling is still illegal in the Netherlands, but operators have developed workarounds to the legal provisions, which the Gaming Authority plans to now stamp out.  Thus far, the KSA had introduced new marketing restrictions on local media houses and advertising channels last February that prohibit them from promoting illegal gambling operators but is now taking further steps to ensure compliance and protection.

According to the update, the Authority is now asking operators from outside the country to block traffic coming from Dutch IP addresses and to cease processing transactions from banks in the country. The KSA is hoping to put a stop to redirections from local .nl addresses to .com websites, but will also keep a close eye on operators that specifically target Dutch players through the upcoming period. The KSA outlines several definitions of “targeting” on their website, including using domain names that are typically Dutch, like “red-white-blue” casino, or similar, as well as operators who use Dutch elements as part of their website design or have “typically Dutch” bonuses.

Starting June 1st, if any online operator is caught to be in breach of these guidelines, including the blocking of IP addresses and processing local bank payments, they will be put on the KSA’s blacklist and thus forfeit the right to apply for an official online license, should the government decide to regulate the online gambling industry.