Dutch Gambling Regulator Confirms Implementation of Financial Risk Checks

The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has confirmed that the updated regulations regarding financial risk checks have been successfully integrated by licensed operators. The new Responsible Gaming Policy, which was introduced by the Dutch regulator in October last year, enforces stricter monitoring of players’ financial activities, allowing operators to intervene in real-time when necessary to prevent gambling-related harm.

Under the revised regulations, a player is deemed incapable of "bearing the financial consequences of their player behaviour" if any of five key conditions are met within a calendar month. These conditions include instances where a player is unable to deposit funds into their gaming account due to insufficient balance, or when their net deposits exceed the recreational portion of their monthly net income. Additionally, a player is flagged if their net deposits amount to 30% or more of their monthly net income. For younger players, stricter thresholds apply—those aged between 18 and 24 are limited to net deposits of no more than €300, while players over 24 must not exceed €700 in net deposits.

If any of these criteria are met, gambling operators must immediately block further deposits for the remainder of the calendar month. Furthermore, each operator’s Board of Directors is expected to take additional steps to ensure that advertising codes do not contribute to further harm for the affected player.

These policies, which were ratified in the Dutch Gazette last year, are the result of extensive discussions between the KSA and the Ministry of Justice, dating back to 2023. Now, based on the latest series of feedback reports, the regulator has confirmed that the industry has widely accepted and implemented these measures. The process of requesting supporting documents such as pay slips and tax returns to verify financial stability has become a standard component of player protection due diligence.

Some operators have voluntarily introduced additional safeguards, including the automatic exclusion of young adults from increasing their net deposit limits. "The information provided makes the review process clearer for providers and prevents players from setting too high limits, which they can’t actually afford," the KSA’s statement concluded.

Looking ahead to 2025, the KSA will continue to enforce stricter monitoring of operators' customer care obligations as part of its Supervision Agenda. Gambling companies have been instructed to intensify supervision of accounts belonging to players under the age of 24, with particular attention given to online slots, which have been identified as the highest-risk vertical within the Dutch gambling market. Updates on supervision efforts will be reported to Teun Struycken, Minister for Legal Protection, who is overseeing the ongoing reorganisation of the Dutch online gambling landscape.

By fLEXI tEAM