The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has issued a stern warning to Hillside (New Media Malta) Plc, the operator behind bet365, stating it could face significant fines or even license revocation if it fails to properly enforce mandatory deposit limit checks.
Following a recent audit, the KSA determined that bet365 was “incorrectly” calculating net deposits and “has not adequately fulfilled its duty of care” regarding player safety. The regulator specifically criticized the operator for relying on self-reported income questionnaires from players, a method the KSA had previously deemed unsuitable for conducting formal financial assessments.
Strict Limits and the “Duty of Care”
Under current Dutch regulations aimed at curbing gambling-related harm, operators must enforce monthly net deposit limits: €300 for players aged 18–23 and €700 for those aged 24 and older. If a player attempts to deposit beyond these thresholds, the operator is legally required to verify their financial stability. If the check fails or cannot be completed, the operator must block further deposits for the remainder of the calendar month.
The KSA has given bet365 a four-week ultimatum to overhaul its verification process.
“Hillside must now comply with its duty of care within four weeks of the date of the instruction by adequately completing the ability-to-pay test,” the KSA stated in its directive. “This means that the company must, in the manner prescribed by the KSA, record and analyse signals that may indicate that the player can (possibly) no longer afford the financial consequences of their gambling behaviour and must then take appropriate intervention measures.”
Potential Consequences
The regulator made it clear that non-compliance would meet with escalation.
If Hillside fails to comply with the instruction, stricter sanctions may follow, such as a fine or, in extreme cases, even the revocation of its license to offer remote gambling in the Netherlands.
Bet365 has officially objected to the binding order. This enforcement action comes as the KSA acknowledges a difficult balancing act; while strict limits are reducing net losses, they may also be driving players to the black market, with the legal channelisation rate reportedly dipping below 50%.
