KSA Escalates Crackdown on Illegal Gambling Amid Digital Challenges

The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), is intensifying its battle against illegal online gambling in 2025, aiming to drive at least 80% of players from unlicensed platforms toward licensed ones. Yet despite stricter enforcement, offshore gambling sites continue to exploit digital loopholes, leveraging search engines and affiliate networks to reach Dutch players—raising questions about whether existing regulations can keep pace with the evolving online landscape.

Since the implementation of the Remote Gambling Act in 2021, the Dutch gambling market has operated under strict regulations designed to ensure consumer protection and responsible gambling practices. Despite this, offshore gambling sites—operating outside Dutch jurisdiction—continue to attract players by circumventing local laws and exposing players to potential risks such as fraud and a lack of consumer protection.

To curb this trend, the KSA has rolled out a more aggressive enforcement strategy, targeting not just illegal operators but also third parties that facilitate illegal activities, such as payment providers, affiliates, and ISPs. Recent penalties highlight the regulator’s commitment to weeding out illegal gambling activities: just this month, NetX Betting was fined €675.000, LCS Limited €2.07 million, and Sarah Eternal SRL €900.000 for illegally targeting Dutch players.

However, the effectiveness of these regulatory efforts faces a major challenge in the digital realm. A recent analysis of Google search results reveals that Dutch users searching for online betting sites are frequently directed to affiliate sites promoting unlicensed operators. Among the first-page English-language search results analyzed, only one website exclusively listed legal Dutch betting sites while emphasizing responsible gambling.

This highlights a troubling reality: despite stringent rules, illegal operators continue to dominate online visibility. For the KSA’s crackdown to be truly effective, regulators must keep pace with the rapidly evolving digital ecosystem—ensuring that search engines, affiliate marketers, and ad networks are held accountable for diverting users to unlicensed platforms. Unless this gap between enforcement and online realities is closed, the crackdown may struggle to make real headway.