Winning Poker Network hit with weekly fine over illegal offering in the Netherlands

The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has issued a minimum recurring penalty of €25,000 per week to Winning Poker Network for continuing to operate in the market without a licence.

In March, the Dutch regulator issued a cease and desist order to Winning Poker Network, which operates poker skin Americas Cardroom, for allowing Dutch players to play on its network without a Dutch licence.

However, after a reinvestigation, the KSA found that the operator was continuing to operate in the market and so the authority followed through with its threat of repeated fines.

The KSA found that while americascardroom.eu was no longer accessible from the Netherlands, customers were able to create accounts at its sister site www.truepoker.eu.

The KSA will implement a minimum fine of €25,000 per week, with the scope to increase the figure to €75,000 should it be deemed necessary.

The total will be determined following a further investigation by the KSA into the financial performance of Winning Poker Network.

At the time of writing, the KSA confirmed the operator had failed to cease its illegal operations.

Elsewhere, the KSA announced that GoldWin had ceased operating in the market without a licence and will not be subject to a fine.

In May, the regulator found the operator had breached regulations, but has now paused its periodic penalty threat following the firm’s withdrawal.

The KSA said the periodic penalty will be implemented should GoldWin return to the market without a licence.