Dutch players face possibility of mandatory affordability checks
Last June, Dutch Legal Protection Minister Franc Weerwind said the country was "unlikely to allow overly strict measures on online gambling". He has since reversed his stance and a restrictive affordability test is now on the table.
The Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA, after its Dutch name) has proposed new measures to curb gambling addiction. This includes requiring online gambling sites to require proof of deposit income.
In response, Weerwind expressed support for the regulator's move. He also suggested that players be automatically logged out if they exceed player or time limits.
How they got here
The current version of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA, by its Dutch abbreviation) is currently under review, a condition of its approval almost three years ago. The report will be submitted in October next year and will examine the effectiveness and impact of the legislation on the online gambling market.
The Kingdom submitted its preliminary results on December 13. That in turn led to Weerwind’s response on Thursday.
The affordability test is triggered when someone reaches a threshold of €700 ($770) in deposits in a single month. The government could introduce lower limits for players and punters between the ages of 18 and 24.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia wants to impose a personal contact requirement on anyone who wants to increase their monthly limit by €350 ($385) or more. This will prevent operators from providing configuration settings in their apps or online platforms that allow users to change restrictions.
This can be in the form of a phone call, chat or email. The purpose is to give players the opportunity to discuss their gambling habits with a qualified professional and obtain help where necessary.
Players are also automatically logged out if they exceed player or time limits. This is a form of harm reduction that helps prevent people from gambling beyond their capabilities.
Saudi Arabia said the measures were aimed at preventing gambling addiction. In September, regulators concluded that gambling companies did not do enough to intervene when players became addicted. So be prepared to crack down on their operations.
What’s next
To develop new policy recommendations, the government convened a series of stakeholder-led discussions. It spoke to policymakers, scientists, players, representatives of gambling companies and regulators such as Saudi Arabia.
However, there are some flaws in the research methodology, which Weerwind indirectly and perhaps unintentionally points out. One of these is the anonymous nature of the Central Gambling Exclusion Register (Cruks, by its Dutch abbreviation).
This anonymity makes it nearly impossible to link someone's reasons for signing up with Cruks to their gambling history. This may hinder understanding of the true effects of gambling.
Lawmakers and regulators need a deeper understanding of the role of gambling operators, the consequences of high-risk gambling, and the effectiveness of interventions. This can only be achieved through a comprehensive study of high-risk gamblers and gamble addicts, which has not yet been conducted.
The measures proposed by Saudi Arabia have not yet been finalized. In the case of the minister's proposal, this would take the form of ministerial regulations, which could come into force next autumn. Gambling companies and experts have until April 1, 2024 to respond to the new regulations for gambling establishments.
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Source: www.casino.org
