Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) Chairman René Jansen said the Dutch regulator will take a data-driven approach to online gambling regulation when the market launches in October.
Speaking at a forum organized by the European Gambling and Betting Association (EGBA), Jansen mentioned that the regulatory requirements for potential Dutch licensees would include the creation of a so-called "data safe" to interact with the regulator.
“From this date [October 1], licensed operators will be required to install a data vault and periodically provide data from this vault to KSA,” Jansen explained.
“These data will lay a solid foundation for our oversight activities. We have developed a format that defines what data we require and how and in what form it should be provided.
“Recently, we invited several operators to test this format and work with us to determine if our ideas are applicable in practice.
“In any case, an important area of our oversight will be whether sufficient attention is paid to the prevention of gambling addiction,” Jansen added.
René Jansen, Chairman of KSA
The head of the KSA said that the Dutch regulatory authorities are currently processing 29 license applications.
He believes that many more applicants will apply once operators get used to the country's regulatory requirements and deal with the implications of the 29% online gambling tax rate.
“As I said before, there are tough requirements for these operators, and I would certainly not rule out that several companies are working to meet these requirements before applying.
"There may also be other operators who are waiting to apply for a license due to the mandatory 'cool off' period," he added.
Jansen highlighted the positive role of the cooldown period as a deterrent to the spread of illegal gambling following its inclusion in the Dutch Remote Gaming Act.
“The operators were clearly expecting this move,” Jansen explained.
Curbing illegal gambling will be a major focus for the regulator when regulated market operations begin in October, with the KSA pledging to strengthen its approach, Jansen said.
“The law gives us a lot of additional powers to do this, and we make the most of these new competencies,” he explained.
“The most important of these new legal provisions is the right to block payment transactions between illegal operators and players by issuing legally binding instructions to payment service providers,” Jansen added.
Discussing the new licensing market, the KSA chairman warned licensees not to try to exploit the regulator's relative inexperience.
“Gambling operators should not seek to push the boundaries of the law,” Jansen warned.
“Now I understand that these calls may not be easy to fulfill. Eventually, a new legal market opens up, all licensed operators will compete fiercely for their right to exist, and advertising will be a key factor in this effort.
“However, this must be done responsibly. And operators should consider KSA supervision.
Giving a specific warning about operator marketing, Jansen added: "If the ad encourages excessive gambling or if the ad is misleading, we can - and will - intervene."
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