Hillside New Media, operator of bet365 in the Netherlands, has objected to a binding designation issued by the local regulator.
Players in the Netherlands will be more familiar with Malta-based Hillside under the brand bet365, as it is licensed to operate locally.
Since 2021, all licensed providers in the Netherlands have been subjected to a rolling list of ongoing reforms to the country’s Remote Gaming Act (KOA), which also include key player protection measures.
One of these measures includes strict deposit limits and financial checks based on a player’s age to help minimise gambling harm in younger adults. Under the new regulations, those aged between 18 to 23 can freely deposit €300 in a calendar month, while anyone older has an allowance of up to €700.
Players can submit requests to increase these amounts, which operators need to demonstrate adequate due diligence by reviewing such applications and facilitate tests, which aim to assess whether players have reasonable grounds and the financial stability to make such requests.
There are clear rules around these tests, and the regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has been previously adamant that a simple income questionnaire is not sufficient to properly assess a player’s financial standing.
According to the regulator, this has been exactly the case with Hillside in the months leading to March 2025 when the player deposit limits were already in effect. In addition, the KSA alleged that the operator had miscalculated net deposit limits on several occasions, leading to players depositing amounts higher than what they could afford on paper.
Therefore, Hillside was first issued a due diligence order by the KSA on 13 November 2025, which gave the operator four weeks from the order’s issuing date to prove that its problem gambling checks in place are compliant with market standards.
Failure to comply may result in stricter sanctions, the KSA has warned, including but not limited to a financial penalty or a licence revocation.
However, Hillside has remained firm in its position that such a request is unfounded, most recently objecting KSA’s ruling. A spokesperson for bet365 told SBC Media: “bet365 does not recognise the allegations made by the Kansspelautoriteit.
“bet365 places customer safety at the forefront of its activities, and takes gambling protections extremely seriously. We will continue defending this matter through the proper legal process, and remain confident that the allegations will be found to be unsubstantiated.”
This story is still in development.
Hillside New Media, operator of bet365 in the Netherlands, has objected to a binding designation issued by the local regulator. Players in the Netherlands will be more familiar with Malta-based Hillside under the brand bet365, as it is licensed to operate locally. Since 2021, all licensed providers in the Netherlands have been subjected to a