The Relentless Crusade Against Unlicensed Gambling in the Netherlands: Google in the Crosshairs
Online giant Google acknowledges and acts upon the demand for regulation by Dutch authorities, focused on restraining advertisements for online gambling platforms.
Ever since the Dutch labour party and the New Social Contract Party joined forces to put Google in the hot seat, the scene in the Netherlands just got hotter for unlawful gambling operators.
Mikal Tseggai and Willem Koops, the power duo in question, filed a motion demanding that Google tightens its reins to keep Dutch citizens shielded from adverts for uncertified distant gambling operators via its search engine.
"The House took notice of the debate...insisting the administration incorporates a prohibition on gambling advertising and search engine visibility, except for Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) white-listed providers, in the forthcoming gambling law."
Insights:
- Regulatory Push: The crackdown on illegal gambling in the Netherlands isn't slowing down, with more stringent regulations for gambling advertising and online visibility on the horizon[1].
- Google's Defence: Google boasts its efforts to halt the promotion of illicit gambling sites. Its strategy involves a whitelist system, enabling only KSA-certified providers to advertise on the platform[2].
- Political Intensity: Politicians like Tsegga and Koops persistently call for tougher measures, insisting that gambling sites should only appear in search results if licensed by the KSA, necessitating Google's consultation with the KSA's whitelist[2].
- Future Challenges: Despite efforts to clamp down, ads for illegal online casinos persistently surface. The KSA's countermeasures include removing illegal gambling apps from app stores since 2025[2].
Reworked Content:
The persistent endeavor to curb illegitimate betting operations in the Netherlands witnessed an escalation, with two parliamentarians directing their wrath towards Google. Mikal Tseggai of the Dutch Labour Party and Willem Koops of the New Social Contract Party have instigated a motion, urging Google to enforce measures that render ads from unregulated remote operators invisible to Dutch citizens when they conduct Google searches.
"The House paid attention to the deliberation, advocating the administrators to encompass a ban on advertising and prohibiting gambling websites from surfacing in search engines in the upcoming gambling law, except for the Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) white-listed providers, under exceptional certification."
- After two parliamentarians, Mikal Tseggai and Willem Koops, instigated a motion, Google is urged to enforce measures that render ads from unregulated remote gambling operators invisible to Dutch citizens when they search using Google.
- The Dutch Labour Party and the New Social Contract Party insisted that the forthcoming gambling law should include a ban on gambling advertising and a prohibition on gambling websites from appearing in search engines, except for the Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) white-listed providers.
- In response to the increased pressure from lawmakers, Google's advertising policy might shift towards a more stringent approach that ensures only KSA-certified providers are allowed to advertise on their platform.
- The crackdown on unlawful gambling in the Netherlands reveals a growing trend in tightening regulations for gambling advertising and online visibility, stretching across general news and politics and affecting industries such as finance, casino-and-gambling, and ads.
