The Netherlands has Banned Gambling Ads
Everyone with some experience in the gambling industry is aware that Europe is the go-to place when it comes down to gambling. Almost all of the top-tier online betting operators are available on the continent, and many have expanded their services worldwide. Even though the UK is the biggest country in terms of gambling websites and licenses, the Netherlands is also up there, which is why the government decided to take action.
Following a decision from the local authorities, as of July 1, there is a ban on gambling ads, regardless of the media channels they are using. This means that iGaming operators and land-based bookmakers/casinos are not allowed to advertise their services on TV, print, or radio. In other words, things like the best no verification casinos will have to think of new ways of finding new clients, at least in this European country.
Besides the ban on using different social media channels, the government also does not allow gambling to be promoted in any public place. In other words, things like cafes, billboards, and other things will not be allowed to advertise any form of gambling, including different kinds of companies.
Perhaps the thing that will affect the most people is the ban on gambling sponsorships of events and clubs. According to the news, the government in the Netherlands will prohibit gambling companies from sponsoring any events and programs starting July 1, 2024. As for the ban on clubs and venues, this will become active in late 2025.
In addition to everything mentioned so far, the government in the Netherlands will also try to regulate affiliate advertising. Fortunately, it will allow some kind of target advertising, such as through mail, so affiliates will be able to continue operating.
Other information about the ban
This ban aims to ensure that people viewing gambling ads are above the age of 24. The government in the country is doing everything in its power to protect young people, especially after what has happened in the UK. Recent reports from the neighboring country show that a lot of people have problems with gambling, and the number of underaged gamblers increases all the time.
Interestingly, the regulators in the Netherlands said that they would have limited guidance on the new ban and that they hoped the gambling operators themselves would adhere to the new rules and take action. Of course, we are yet to see if this will be the case because if we check other countries, we can see that the government has to step in and use sanctions to regulate these brands.
KSA, which is the gambling regulator in the Netherlands, said that it is ready to help if the rules need any clarification. Of course, its chairman said that gambling license holders should do everything they can to adhere to the rules and not push the boundaries of the law.
Unsurprisingly, the decision of the KSA was not welcomed by everyone because many of the politicians in the country that are not fans of gambling have questioned whether this was the right approach. As expected, the minister defended the decision and said that he believes communicating with these brands will be more effective than just imposing fines. Of course, we are yet to see if this will be the case because the regulator will monitor whether operators adhere to the rules and what they’re doing.
New rules regarding the gaming ads
In addition to everything mentioned so far, we also have to mention that the Dutch government has taken other measures to regulate the advertising of gambling. One of them is a new set of rules that target the so-called online games of chance. This thing became active a few months after the launch of the gambling market.
According to these rules, operators that want to advertise their services only have 30 seconds limit and can run up to 3 ads per session. Furthermore, operators should not include any remarks that encourage irresponsible gambling, they have to inform people about the fact that they should be responsible while gambling and should limit the number of welcome offers they have. This may not be a surprise, considering that many casinos and bookmakers use those things to lure new clients.
What happened so far & the future of iGaming in the Netherlands
Even though people in the country have had access to offshore gambling operators for years, the country officially opened its doors to the gambling market on October 1, 2021. Needless to say, many of the world’s leading gambling operators obtained a license and started advertising their services by spending a lot of money.
As expected, the government stepped in shortly after the green light and imposed the first strict rules regarding gambling ads in Match 2022. The parliament wanted a complete gambling advertising ban, but the minister decided not to take this route, so there were restrictions instead.
The new restrictions should’ve occurred from Jan 1, 2023, but there were some problems, so the government delayed them for several months. We are yet to see if these measures will satisfy the people in charge because if this does not happen, the next step will be to impose a complete ban.
Speaking of a ban on gambling ads, some of the neighboring countries of the Netherlands have already done this. Belgium, for example, has implemented a complete ban on all forms of gambling ads.
How can bookmakers and casinos advertise their services following such restrictions
Assuming that operators won’t be able to use any of the traditional methods of advertising their services, they will need to rely on affiliate marketing. Sure, the government will try to regulate it too, but it is much harder than it seems because many of the leading affiliates do not reside in the Netherlands. Furthermore, they can use all sorts of tricks to fool the GEO restrictions, meaning that people who want to know more about different gambling operators will find the information they need.
- B.E. Delmer, Gambling911.com
