The Dutch gambling authority proceeds with operator tax investigation and blocks on cashback bonuses.
As the online casino industry grows, it’s also being dealt with stricter regulations, especially as more regulators are focusing on increasing efforts to clamp down on illegal gaming.
In the case of the Dutch gaming market , the KSI is increasing efforts to shut down grey markets while simultaneously putting a halt to bonuses.
Tax Investigation Continues
The Dutch regulator, de Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), is not sitting back or taking grey market gambling lightly.
In a recent memo, the Dutch government revealed that eight operators were under tax investigation as of the previous year. The investigation is focused on their activities in the country before the launch of the regulated online gambling market. It is said that the authorities are planning on investigating seven others.
The primary focus is the operators who catered to local residents at a time when the regulated market was not yet in place. Authorities are clamping down on illegal gambling and focusing on operators who made money that should have been subject to tax.
All these companies are believed to be based in the Netherlands on paper while they are listed as foreign operators to avoid paying tax. The memo states that these operators with unpaid taxes are those who are either wholly or partly managed from the Netherlands with a permanent base in the region.
The authorities are lifting the veil and shedding light on Dutch online gambling companies that have remained fiscally disguised . According to the latest files, it shows that due to the lack of tax from these companies, the Dutch treasury has lost tens to hundreds of millions in tax revenue.
Currently, tax investigations are being conducted on the operators, with more expected to come.
A cashback clap back
Aside from the tax investigation, operators have also been ordered to stop offering cashback bonuses to users.
A recent report claims that the KSA has sent a letter to all Dutch iGaming licensees stipulating that cashback bonuses are banned in the Netherlands as they are believed to encourage excessive gaming .
See: Dutch online bonuses
As per the letter, it is pointed out that bonuses are covered by advertising laws, and operators should refrain from encouraging excessive gambling.
The KSA has gotten word that online license holders are planning on offering loyalty rewards in the form of cashback on their individual sites. And quickly put a stop to it, stating that a cashback bonus is a form of advertising that can lead to excessive participation.
Cashback bonuses ensure you get back a certain percentage of your losses when playing online. Which, in essence, gives players more of a daring approach to their gameplay. Where in any other situations, they’d stop, it can encourage them to continue playing. This in itself poses a danger to those already vulnerable to developing gambling problems.
Licensees were expected to confirm via letter that they are no longer offering cashback bonuses by 5 December 2022.
Is KSA losing its hold?
While the KSA continues to clamp down on the grey market and increase its regulatory restrictions, it has led to many concerns from industry experts and professionals.
Despite the good intentions, these restrictions can lead to even more players opting in at unlicensed online casinos . The KSA might need to loosen its grip or find a way to shift the player’s mindset.
You can read more about how gaming regulations are pushing players toward illegal gaming activity in our previous assessment.