Online gaming operators found guilty of illegally offering their services to players in the Netherlands can now reportedly expect to incur a minimum fine of €200,000 ($227,480) following yesterday’s implementation of changes to the nation’s Remote Gaming Act.

Rising reprimands:

According to a Friday report from SBCNews, the new figure represents an over 33% increase from the previous base fine of €150,000 ($170,600) and can now be accompanied by further financial penalties depending on the particulars of each offender such as the number of sites and games they are found to have been illicitly operating.

Deterrence defense:

The rise was reportedly requested by The Netherlands Gaming Authority, which is also known as the Kansspelautoriteit, after it determined that the base figure attached to its previous minimum punishment was not serving as enough of a deterrent. Over the course of last year, the regulator purportedly instituted fines totaling approximately €1.7 million ($1.9 million) against a plethora of iGaming operators including the likes of Betclic Everest Group, Betsson AB and Mr Green and Company AB for continually breaching its rules.

Ongoing ‘fight’:

Rene Jansen, Chairman for The Netherlands Gaming Authority, reportedly told SBCNews that the previous minimum fine amount had not been ‘terrifying enough’ and that ‘illegal games of chance continue to fight’ his organization ‘firmly’.

Jansen to SBCNews…

“The intention of the law is to create an attractive legal online gaming offering that makes it possible for consumers to play safely in a fair market. There is no room for illegal providers. That is why we intend to thoroughly review our penalty policy for the future. The updating of the fines is now only a first step.”