The Kansspelautoriteit

The Kansspelautoriteit is the regulator of the gambling industry. We are an independent administrative body that implements Dutch gambling policy by order of the Minister for Legal Protection. We implement this policy independently. Our tasks are set out in the Betting and Gaming Act (Wet op de kansspelen).

We are neither for nor against gambling. We think it’s important that gambling is safe and fair. What constitutes safe and fair is specified in laws, regulations and licensing conditions.

We strive to create a world where gambling services are reliable, operators are transparent and players are protected. A world where the games are fair and the chances of winning are clear, and where there are no gambling addicts or illegal practices.

Players are the focus of our mission. Consumers must be able to play safely. We act to prevent misconduct.

The Kansspelautoriteit has three objectives and five statutory duties. Our objectives are:

1. To protect consumers
2. To prevent gambling addiction
3. To combat illegal and criminal practices

Our first statutory duty is to regulate the gambling market by issuing licences to gambling operators. Such operators must meet certain conditions in order to obtain a licence. The Kansspelautoriteit assesses whether this is the case.

Supervision and enforcement is our second statutory duty. The Kansspelautoriteit takes a risk-based approach to its supervision. This involves screening and assessing licence holders. If an operator is not complying with the licence conditions or with laws and regulations, we can proceed to enforcement. There are various ways of doing this. Measures can range from holding a meeting to imposing a fine or revoking a licence. The Kansspelautoriteit  also takes action against illegal activities, for example if gambling services are being offered illegally.

Our third duty is to promote addiction prevention. We do this by supervising licence holders, who have a duty of care. We also work to raise awareness of the risks associated with gambling. In addition, we encourage organisations to collaborate to prevent consumers from becoming addicted to gambling.

Our fourth statutory duty is to provide information and education. This includes answering any questions that municipalities – our fellow regulators – may have about gambling. Citizens have questions as well, for instance about what they can do if they think a game has not been operated fairly. Organisations also ask questions, such as a football association that wishes to organise a lottery and build a new canteen with the proceeds.

Our fifth statutory duty is to combat gambling-related match fixing among licence holders. Licensed (online) sports betting and totaliser license betting operators must take measures to prevent and combat match fixing within their betting offer. Licence holders must, for example, identify signs of possible match fixing and report these to the right authorities.

In addition to these five duties, the Kansspelautoriteit advises the Minister for Legal Protection on gambling policy. We do this by providing both requested and unrequested advice.

We work towards our mission by:

• Engaging in internal and external collaboration to achieve a common goal. Every employee helps to ensure that consumers can play safely.
• Learning about those who take part in gambling activities. We understand players and their behaviours, and we take appropriate action to ensure their safety.
• Being knowledgeable. We are aware of the risks in the different types of gambling with respect to gambling addiction, fair play and temptations to participate. We take action as needed and provide education and information to various target groups.
• Ensuring a fair market. We treat all licence holders the same and tackle illegal activities. This creates a level playing field for all gambling operators.
• Working efficiently with smart systems and processes.

We always act in accordance with our core values. These core values are:

1. Professional. We strive to achieve a maximum impact with our actions and continuously improve ourselves.
2. Transparent. We provide insight into the what, why and how behind our actions, set clear expectations for licence holders and hold ourselves accountable.
3. Proactive. We identify and respond to risks and opportunities in a timely manner.
4. Consistent. Our activities are not dictated by the issues of the day, and always contribute to our objectives. We operate independently of politicians, policymakers and other stakeholders.