Recent developments in the Dutch gambling space have not favored overseas gambling operators. One of the recent victims of increased regulations is Mansion. The Malta-based gambling operator is now closing its Dutch accounts.
The Netherlands has always been a popular market for European gambling operators. Several overseas players have tried to attract Dutch customers. The authorities are now changing the way gambling operators have worked in the country. The gambling regulator of The Netherlands, Kansspelautoriteit doesn’t seem too happy with foreign operators in the country. The regulator has now mandated that all overseas players will be fined or outlawed in the territory if they do not receive the required operating licenses.
Operators that have worked without a license were imposed with hefty fines. Though the regulator’s actions have been contested in court by the relevant companies, Mansion wasn’t lucky enough to get away unharmed. In a long-running case, the Netherlands’ Council of State concluded that Kansspelautoriteit’s fines on Mansion/ONISAC and Co-Gaming were reasonable. The two operators were not authorities to offer their services to Dutch players.
The Gambling Authority imposed a 150,000 euro fine on Mansion in 2013. Co-Gaming received a 180,000 euro fine in 2014. At the time, the regulator said that the two operators are providing games of chance in the Dutch language to local players, which violates the country’s law. The court was then heard in the Hague District Court which sided with Kansspelautoriteit in July 2017. The operators then appealed to the Council of State which decided against them last week.
Now, the operators have no other option but to wind up their operations. Mansion runs several properties in the Netherlands including Casino.com and Mansion Casino brands. On September 25, it announced that new Dutch players will no longer be allowed to use the websites from September 26. Old accounts will be closed from October 3. As play and deposits stop, the websites will send emails to the account holders, reminding them that only withdrawals will be allowed from the website. All existing accounts will be purged on October 10.
Betsson was also slapped a 300,000 euro fine by the regular while Mr. Green received a 312,500 euro fine. Though the termination of these services is a win for the regulator, the future of gambling licenses remains undecided in the country. Lawmakers are still discussing if companies that have been fined or banned in the past should be allowed to apply for licenses whenever they become available under the new regulatory framework.
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