The Netherlands’ gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) said it is currently investigating affiliate websites promoting illegal online games to Dutch customers. The agency said the sites had targeted at-risk and vulnerable customers, redirecting them to unlicensed operators, which violates the country’s gambling laws.
Affiliates Teaching Players to Bypass CRUKS Checks
The KSA said it encountered the sites after looking into online platforms that promote Dutch-language gambling services. According to the gambling authority, the affiliate websites used certain domains like “casinowithoutlicense” and “casinowithoutcruks” to lead vulnerable players to unauthorized operators and teach them how to bypass CRUKS checks.
CRUKS is the Netherlands’ own version of the self-exclusion scheme, which is aimed at protecting players from gambling addiction. The KOA Remote Gambling Act, which has been in effect since October 1, 2021, requires all licensed operators in the country to integrate CRUKS into their system. They must perform CRUKS checks before accepting new players.
KSA Continues to Get Tough on Offenders
The KSA said that some affiliate sites had been promoting illegal offerings and driving customers to unlicensed operators which are prohibited under KOA laws. To make things worse, these sites had been targeting problem gamblers, according to the regulator.
The KSA already busted multiple affiliate sites in December 2021 for similar violations.