Alarming concerns have been raised concerning underage gambling in the Netherlands by recent study undertaken by Keurmerk Responsible Affiliates (KVA) and shared with NOGA and Licensed Dutch Gaming Providers (VNLOK).
According to the report, the absence of strict age verification policies by legitimate operators allowed children in the Netherlands to participate in gambling activities with offshore operators. Minors were just required to have a phone number or email address in order to create accounts and begin transactions.
To make matters worse, the research also showed how simple it was for minors to use cryptocurrencies to make deposits and wager, frequently in an anonymous manner.
Exploitation by Illegal Entities
Illegal casinos were found to exploit minors by using logos of banks and legal operators, misleading them into believing that their actions were safe and legitimate.
In response to these findings, NOGA emphasized the heightened risks associated with underage gambling, including addiction and its subsequent consequences on mental health and finances. There is a pressing need for robust action from the Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) to address these issues and fulfill its mandate of consumer protection.
NOGA is in favor of increased cooperation between the KSA and other countries in order to exchange intelligence and use best practices when it comes to stopping illicit operators. Furthermore, it is essential to work with financial institutions to stop illicit transactions and sabotage the income sources of offshore operators.
De Goeij, representing NOGA, stressed the need of adopting modern technology such as geolocation blocking and AI-driven monitoring to discover and shut off access to offshore gaming sites. Underage access might be considerably reduced by working with internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict unlawful gaming websites.
Stakeholders are calling for proactive steps to reduce the hazards connected with underage gaming, and they are anxiously awaiting the KSA’s answer.
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