Dutch trade association members guarantee use of age verification software
Operators pledge to fully refund any stakes placed by minors
Thirteen Netherlands-facing online gambling operators will “guarantee” to use age verification software in the country, Dutch trade association Speel Verantwoord has confirmed.
The operators will apply strict age verification when players register to exclude minors, together with refunding the full stake of any individual identified subsequently as being under the age of 18.
The names of the thirteen operators have not been confirmed, but EGR understands this will include current Speel Verantwoord members bet365, Flutter, GVC, Betsson, Kindred Group and Evolution Gaming.
Speaking about the new commitment, Speel Verantwoord director Peter-Paul de Goeij said the association would do “everything we can” to protect minors from gambling-related harm.
“In addition, we fully endorse the Dutch gambling policy and are and remain 100% committed to a strict and justly regulated, healthy and safe online gambling market in the Netherlands, in which the participation of minors in gambling is prevented,” de Goeij added.
Last week, the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) added the use of “functional age verification” to its so-called prioritisation criteria, allowing the KSA to investigate online operators over their usage (or lack thereof) of this technology.
The criterion allows the KSA to potentially issue financial sanctions against operators where non-compliance is identified.