The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has handed BetCity parent company Betent BV a €2.6m (£2.3m) fine for duty of care failings concerning young adults.
The violations, uncovered as part of a KSA investigation into the Dutch operator, occurred between October 2021 and March 2023.
The regulator analysed the betting data of 10 young adults aged between 18 and 24, who had suffered substantial losses during that period.
One of the players whose activity was analysed was 22 years old at the time of registering with the operator.
In December 2021, the player deposited more than €2,000, which was deemed to exceed the monthly average income for a young person at that time (€1,367).
Later that same month, the player attempted to deposit more than €4,000 at once, exceeding their deposit limit.
Between registering in December and February 2022, the player had deposited more than €10,000.
Betent reviewed the player’s data in February and determined that the player was not a problem gambler at that time.
After the player was sent an email regarding setting deposit limits in February, they attempted to make a one-time deposit of €9,000 hours later.
After making several deposits via credit cards, the player had deposited more than €26,000 by May 2022, with Betent still concluding that no intervention was necessary.
The player’s account was blocked by in August after they failed to respond to Betent’s questions regarding sources of funds. The account was reinstated by September.
By January 2023, the player had deposited more than €80,000 with the operator, with Betent then setting a mandatory €450 deposit limit per month.
Duty of care
A KSA statement read: “Betent has exposed players to the risk of injury by breaching its duty of care. Remote gambling with high to very high risk lacks the protection it is required to provide as a professional online gambling licensee, with all the attendant risks and consequences for the player, their loved ones and society.
“In doing so, it has neglected one of its most important legal responsibilities to the player and undermined trust in the responsible, reliable and verifiable organisation of licensed gambling.”
KSA chair Michel Groothuizen added: “We have a licensed gambling market based on the principle that anyone who wants to gamble can do so safely.
“Therefore, providers have a duty of care to their players and must respond appropriately to excessive gambling.
“Large losses are an important signal of this. We have intensified our oversight of the online duty of care, and we are taking strong action against violations like those we observe here at BetCity.
“We truly do not want to see providers fail so badly in their duty of care, especially for vulnerable young players.”
In April, the KSA issued a €734,000 fine to an unnamed operator for similar duty of care failings.
The regulator revealed in July that six operators were under investigation for similar offences, with KSA coordinator of operational supervision Peter Rampertaap claiming the conduct of some licence holders was “unacceptable”.
Last week, Groothuizen urged international regulators to join forces into a “gambling Interpol” in an effort to tackle the black market.
The post KSA sanctions BetCity with €2.6m fine over duty of care failings first appeared on EGR Intel.
Dutch operator reprimanded for failing to take action when young players deposited excessive amounts and losses ramped up
The post KSA sanctions BetCity with €2.6m fine over duty of care failings first appeared on EGR Intel.