A relatively small group of Dutch gamblers gambling at illegal online casinos is responsible for more than half of the total online gambling market in the Netherlands. Also in AGOG’s self -help groups, illegal gambling sites are increasingly being discussed, in particular since the introduction of the stricter rules at legal online casinos.
In Trouw, attention is paid to the size of the illegal online gambling market. The newspaper describes how a small group of players is responsible for a large part of the gambled amounts on the internet. These gamblers play at No Limit Bet, among others, the newspaper writes. The parent company of this illegal online casino recently received a fine from the Gaming Authority, because it actively focused on Dutch gamblers.
Like No Limit Bet, there are thousands of illegal online gambling sites. Often based in countries such as Costa Rica, Curaçao, Cyprus, or the British Virgin Islands. The same goes for the parent company of No Limit Bet, Techno Offshore Limited. It is often difficult to find out who runs the companies and it also appears to be difficult for the Gaming Authority to reach the offenders.
Opposite Trouw, Marloes Derks, spokesperson for the Gaming Authority, confirms that the regulator has not heard from Techno Offshore. Whether the fine of € 1.2 million will be paid remains just the question.
Illegal gambling sites increasingly discussed with self -help groups
The illegal online casinos are active in the Netherlands without a permit from the Gaming Authority and therefore do not comply with the rules that apply to online casinos in the Netherlands. In fact, it is precisely responded by illegal gambling sites. Trouw describes how the search term ‘gambling without cruks’ players effortlessly leads to websites where gambling can be done without the protection of the exclusion register.
Raymond de la Haye from Agog also explains Trouw that the conversations at Agog are increasingly about the illegal gambling market. This would have started when the rules for legal gambling sites were tightened on October 1, says De La Haye.
“People discuss how easy they end up at those sites. That rules such as a gambling stop and limits for money or playing time do not make sense at all.”
Raymond of Haye, AGOG.
The Gaming Authority also thinks that the ‘heavy players’, with higher addiction risks, are looking for the illegal offer. They can continue to play there without being checked, Trouw writes.
That image was recently reinforced in a new report from the Gaming Authority. This showed that the illegal online gambling market was now larger than the legal online gambling market when we look at the money that has been gambled. Yet 91% of Dutch gamblers still only play with legal providers. The remaining 9% that plays with illegal gambling sites, however, gambles with such high amounts that they gamble more than the group of legal gamblers.
Niche
Tony van Rooij from the Trimbos Institute believes that the thresholds should be increased for the illegal offer. The banning of illegal advertising from social media and blocking payment transactions to undisputed gambling sites would contribute to ‘making niche’ of these foreign casinos.
“Then as a player with a complicated financial construction, such as Bitcoins, you have to get started. If you increase the thresholds and lower findability, more people will avoid this offer.”
Tony van Rooij, Trimbos Institute.
Van Rooij is therefore skeptical about the large tech companies Google and Meta, because so far it has not been possible to stop the illegal advertisements. According to him, the companies should be able to do this:
“These are the richest companies in the world and they can easily check this if they want. There is also earned from the advertisements of these illegal gambling companies.”
Tony van Rooij, Trimbos Institute.
