KSA warns operators to refrain from pushing untargeted ads in public spaces

The Dutch Gaming Authority or KSA has issued several warnings to operators over the past months related to untargeted gambling advertisements in physical public spaces. Some operators have used advertisement media such as bus shelters and billboards to display unauthorized gambling advertisements.

The regulator banned untargeted gambling ads on July 1, 2023, and it has been very strict in imposing the rules. However, some operators have continued to push some inducement materials that are not aligned with the new regulatory mandates.

The KSA has chosen to issue a warning to offending parties rather than hand down fines outright. The regulator did so as it believes that the operators in question did not publicize their products with malicious intent, but rather due to a lack of complete understanding of the regulatory framework.

Regardless, the regulator reminded that in cases where it has proof that a party had acted with intent, it would take immediate enforcement action and penalize the offending party. Furthermore, the KSA saw the operators in question collaborate with the watchdog and take steps to remove the advertisement that was in breach.

Untargeted advertising in the gambling industry has been banned since earlier this year, as already noted. The ban extends to every possible media, including television and radio, newspapers, social media, and websites, as well as public spaces such as billboards, bus shelters, cinemas, cafes, arcades, and more.

This restriction is part of a comprehensive regulatory framework that is designed to exclusively protect consumers. The re-regulation of the Dutch gambling market came after years of debates and delays with lawmakers agreeing that protecting consumers should be the market’s foremost goal.

Over the past months, the regulator enacted a number of measures designed to achieve better overall consumer protection, including the prohibition of certain advertisements and the participation of popular personalities in gambling advertisements and inducements.

The country’s watchdog is particularly concerned with advertisement that appeals to individuals under the age of 21 as the consensus is that consumers under that age are particularly vulnerable to inducements, which may lead to unhealthy gambling habits in future.

Apart from banning role models, the KSA has been keeping a close eye on the health of the overall gambling industry, with the regulator finding it to be in a good state in a recent report.

Image credit: Unsplash.com