The main regulatory body for the iGaming industry in the Netherlands, the KSA, or officially Kansspelautoriteit has been ordered to reevaluate its iGaming licensing protocols. As reported by several local news outlets, the Kansspelautoriteit has to reevaluate whether its current licensing protocols are in line with the European Union laws and regulations for the online casino gaming industry.
According to one report released by the iGamingBusiness.com news outlet, the official directive from the Council of State came shortly after online sports betting and online casino gaming operator, the Kindred Group firm won a legal action against claims that the Kansspelautoriteit had actually discriminated the operator in renewing its iGaming totalizator license which is held by the competitor company Sportech’s ZEbetting and Gaming Nederland BV.
About the Kansspelautoriteit
The main online casino gaming and sports betting regulator in the Netherlands, the Kansspelautoriteit works on protecting consumers who engage in all sorts of iGaming activities. The regulatory body also works on preventing gambling addiction as well as combats crime and illegality related to the industry. The chair of the Kansspelautoriteit is René Jansen who used to be a member of the NZa or the Dutch Healthcare Authority’s Executive Board.
Speaking of the gaming authority’s Board of Directors, it is responsible for licensing and all other decisions made regarding the industry since 2012 when the Kansspelautoriteit was established. Some of the regulatory body’s task areas include supervision of all online casino gaming and sports betting operations, public affairs, legal affairs, international business, and strategy. Other task areas include consumer protection, enforcement, business operations, and preparation of the Remote Gambling Act.
As the major supervisor for the iGaming market in the country, the Kansspelautoriteit has full administrative enforcement powers and instruments including instructing penalty payments to iGaming operators, imposing administrative fines, imposing administrative coercion, as well as prosecution in the event of criminal activities and violations of its licensing protocols. This leads us to the gaming regulator’s three main goals which include combating crime and illegality, preventing addiction, and protecting consumers.
Kindred Group’s Legal Triumph
One of the major online casino gaming and sports betting operators globally, the Kindred Group firm has been involved in many efforts to obtain its totalizator license for the Netherlands iGaming market for Trannnel International Limited. However, the company decided to pull out after its officials determined that the Kansspelautoriteit’s requirements for such licensing were rather unachievable.
At the same time, the ZEbetting and Gaming Nederland BV company have held the sole Dutch totalizator license for the market for over twelve years. After being denied such licensing, the Kindred Group decided to appeal the decision with the Council of State. Here, the company argued that its subsidiary Trannel International Limited should have been granted its Dutch totalizator license according to the European Union’s earlier decision.
According to the European Union’s regulations, operators should be granted such licensing without having an active application pending. According to several local news outlets, the Council of State ultimately agreed with the Malta-based iGaming operator and ruled that it should have been granted a totalizer license even without a pending active application.
Later on, the European Gaming and betting association applauded this ruling while its Secretary General said it was one of the necessary steps required to ensure that the Kansspelautoriteit processes and licensing protocols abide by the European Union’s regulations and rules.
