Dutch trade body duo launches illegal online gambling reporting tool
Meld Vals Spel has been launched to help the Netherlands Gambling Authority in its efforts to regulate the Dutch market, with the new portal available to all licence holders and partner organisations
Two Dutch gaming associations have joined forces to launch a new reporting tool that aims to help the nation’s regulator tackle illegal activity within the market.
The Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) and Vergunde Nederlandse Online Kansspelaanbieders (VNLOK) have partnered to create Meld Vals Spel, which will be accessible for all licence holders, partner organisations and other professional stakeholders.
Users will able to report any sites or apps that are offering illegal gambling services in the country, as well as the option to flag concerning practices such as “excessive bonuses”, a lack of player protection or a failure to exclude minors.
Through these reports, Meld Vals Spel aims to improve understanding of how unlicensed bookmakers operate, better protect players, and enhance ways of dealing with illegal operators within law.
In turn, this could lead to further research and even lead to the hotline contacting the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) and politicians, as well as flagging those guilty of such activity on social media.
The press release announcing the formation of Meld Vals Spel said the new tool compliment the regulator efforts already underway by the KSA.
On the new reporting portal, Helma Lodders, chair of VNLOK, and Eric Konings, acting director of NOGA, issued a joint statement of the rationale behind Meld Vals Spel.
“Licensed online gambling providers have a shared 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.”
The statement included reference to recent research conducted by Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates, which showed that at least 270,000 Dutch consumers engage with illegal gambling websites via Google every month.
“At the same time, many Dutch people still come into contact with illegal gambling sites and apps,” it reads.
“These illegal parties actively respond to the increasingly strict Dutch regulations by, for example, advertising on search terms such as ‘playing without limits’ or ‘playing without CRUKS’ [the Dutch self-exclusion scheme].
“In doing so, they specifically attract (vulnerable) players. These types of illegal practices endanger the safety of players and must be tackled firmly.”
Confirmation of Meld Vals Spel’s launch comes a week after the Dutch minister responsible for gambling, Teun Struycken, conceded “much remains to be done” when it comes to protecting vulnerable players in the market.