To combat illicit internet gambling and improve player safety, two Dutch gambling groups have implemented a system. Meld Vals Spel, the new platform, made its debut on November 25 with the goal of enhancing transparency and control in the Dutch gaming industry.
Members of Vergunde Nederlandse Online Kansspelaanbieders (VNLOK), the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA), registered operators, and other industry professionals can report illegal gambling activity through the Meld Vals Spel portal. Practices including insufficient player protection, overzealous bonus offers, and a lack of measures to prevent underage gaming can be reported by users.
Reports submitted through the system will be shared with the Dutch gambling authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), policymakers, and social media platforms. This collaboration is designed to hold violators accountable and ensure a safer gambling environment.
In a joint statement, VNLOK chair Helma Lodders and NOGA acting director Eric Konings emphasized the industry’s shared responsibility. “Licensed providers of online gambling have a joint responsibility to offer players a legal, safe, and responsible offer. This often goes well, but it can also be improved. We are working hard on this every day,” they said.
Challenges in Regulating Illegal Operators
Search phrases like “playing without limits” are still used by illegal gambling companies to draw in weaker players, such as Cruks, who have self-excluded through the Dutch system. Approximately 270,000 Dutch customers use Google each month to access illicit gambling platforms, according to Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates.
“These types of illegal practices endanger the safety of players and must be tackled firmly,” Lodders and Konings added.
While the KSA reports a 95% channelization rate for licensed operators, critics argue the figure could be closer to 87%, with substantial spending still occurring on unregulated platforms. The recent review of the Remote Gambling Act, which marked three years since its implementation, identified weaknesses in enforcement and responsible gambling measures.
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