The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has reprimanded three betting operators for marketing incidents, including targeting ‘vulnerable groups’.
The industry watchdog reported that TonyBet and BetCity both sent out marketing materials to young adult players – aged between 18 and 24 – in contravention of the Netherlands’ gaming laws.
Meanwhile, Kansino ran advertisements in its mobile gaming apps, an act that is also prohibited under current laws.
TonyBet in hot water
According to the KSA’s statement, TonyBet sent promotional emails to groups of young adult players on two separate occasions.
Meanwhile, BetCity sent a marketing message through its game interface, which could be viewed by all players, including young adults. However, the campaign could not be accessed by the younger players in question.
In the case of TonyBet, the reprimand marks the second incident involving the operator in quick succession.
Last week, Ireland’s Advertising Standards Authority ordered TonyBet to remove two sponsored advertisements that appeared on YouTube because it deemed that they played down the potential harm of gambling.
In both incidents, the operator pointed to errors beyond its control for the misdemeanours.
The operator placed the blame on a mobile affiliation partner for the placement of the sponsored videos in Ireland, while in the Netherlands, the company cited a system error that identified the group as adult participants rather than young people.
More vigilance needed
In all three instances, the KSA noted that the operators reported the issues to the regulator and moved quickly to rectify the mistakes.
The regulator also noted that TonyBet and BetCity have implemented measures to avoid a similar situation, including rolling out additional checks for marketing systems.
Despite this, the KSA reminded operators of its responsibility when deploying marketing messages.
It said in a statement: “The KSA emphasises that gambling providers must remain vigilant when using and maintaining software and deploying marketing tools to prevent vulnerable groups, such as young adults, from being targeted through negligence or mistakes. The KSA will continue to monitor this throughout the entire gambling market.”
