KSA sends €129,000 daily fine warning to unlicensed operator
Netherlands Gambling Authority investigates Blue High House SA and gives notice of potential punishment
The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has warned Blue High House SA it will be fined €43,000 (37,232) per week, with a maximum penalty of €129,000, if it does not stop illegally offering games to Dutch players.
The operator does not have a licence to operate in the Netherlands and has been issued a warning for operating without a licence.
Two KSA supervisors investigated the business on 7, 9, 10 December 2021 and 11 January 2022 in relation to its www.betonline.ag domain, and whether it was possible to play online from the Netherlands.
One supervisor was able to register, with a Dutch IP address, as well as deposit money using a credit card on 7 December 2021.
On three separate dates, 10 March, 16 March and 20 June, a supervisor was once again able to play online games.
Nothing had changed when a supervisor logged in to play on 9 August, with the investigation finding that from May 2022 to May 2023, the website received 139,569 visits.
Following the investigation, the KSA sent a warning letter on 29 June 2023 about its intention to impose a penalty order and gave Blue High House SA a two-week opportunity to express its opinion, which was not taken.
In a statement, the regulator said: “The KSA makes its choices to investigate illegal providers based, among other things, on the estimated number of Dutch visitors.
“Blue High House emerged in that data as a party that attracts a large number of players. The investigation subsequently showed that the provider offers illegal games of chance on several websites aimed at the Netherlands, among others.
“The KSA will actively recheck the offer. When a violation is identified, a sanction ,for example a fine, is imposed,” it concluded.
The announcement comes days after LCS Limited were issued a €2.1m fine for allowing Dutch players to play on its Sons of Slots website.