The chairman of the Dutch gambling regulator believes attempts by operators to bypass sports sponsorship bans with infotainment website deals “won’t happen” in the Netherlands.
Michel Groothuizen has insisted that Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) will be “very strict” about the upcoming ban on sports sponsorship by gambling companies, set to come into force on July 1
Italy has a similar ban, and gambling operators that have front-of-shirt deals promote infotainment websites on the front of team shirts instead of the gambling platform itself.
Inter’s jersey, for example, features Betsson.Sport, which offers links to Betsson’s social media pages and a YouTube video featuring Betsson ambassador Francesco Totti.
The Netherlands banned untargeted advertising in July 2023 for gambling promotions in public spaces, but a transition period for sports sponsorship deals – due to their long-term nature – ends this summer.
The KSA said it has sent a letter to all licensed online operators notifying them again of the upcoming ban.
“In other countries with similar bans, we’ve seen gambling operators try to bypass the rules through creative means. As far as I’m concerned, that won’t happen in the Netherlands,” said Groothuizen.
“This law was created to protect young adults and other vulnerable groups. That protection comes from preventing exposure to gambling ads, regardless of who is behind them. The KSA will be very strict about this.”
The regulator said it will be “particularly vigilant” this summer regarding potential violations and will “will immediately take enforcement action when necessary.”
The KSA added that it has been speaking to industry associations to answer any questions.
