The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands’ gambling regulator, has publicly announced a fine of €400,000 imposed on JOI Gaming, the operator of the Jack’s Casino brand.
The penalty concludes an investigation into promotional activities at the 2023 Jack’s Racing Day event, where the company was found to have violated strict regulations concerning the use of role models in gambling advertising.
Investigators discovered that JOI Gaming had utilized prominent figures to promote the event in ways that impermissibly linked their public image to the gambling brand. These individuals were observed signing caps featuring the operator’s logo and posing for photographs alongside hostesses in branded clothing. These images were subsequently posted on the event’s website and social media channels.
Although JOI Gaming complied with an order to remove the posts, the KSA determined that the initial breach warranted a significant financial penalty.
The delay in publishing the fine was due to a preliminary injunction JOI Gaming had partially secured, preventing earlier public disclosure. The ruling underscores the KSA’s rigorous stance on protecting vulnerable groups. “To protect vulnerable groups such as young people, strict rules apply to the use of role models in gambling advertising,” the KSA stated in its announcement, defining role models broadly to include “celebrities, (former) professional footballers or influencers.”
The regulator’s concern is that such figures “can serve as role models of success, behaviour or an ideal lifestyle for impressionable young adults.” Consequently, while they may be used under strict conditions for lower-risk activities like lotteries, “the use of role models is prohibited for high-risk gambling, such as online gambling.”
This enforcement action serves as a clear warning to the industry that the KSA remains committed to maintaining a safe advertising environment and preventing the normalization of high-risk gambling behaviors among young audiences.
