The Netherlands’ gambling regulator, de Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has announced that a ban on untargeted advertising for online gambling products and services will come into effect on July 1st 2023.
According to the KSA, Dutch gambling regulations state that advertising for online gambling must no longer reach minors or vulnerable groups such as problem gamblers. As a result, all forms of advertising that can be viewed by the general public will not be permitted from July 1st 2023. This includes radio, TV, and billboards in public spaces. Billboards and advertising in private places that can be accessed by the general public such as arcades, cinemas, and cafes is also prohibited.
However, advertising via the internet, direct mailing, on-demand TV, social media or in the online gaming environment remains permitted under certain conditions. Those conditions include an obligation on the part of the gambling license holder to ensure that their adverts are not seen by minors or vulnerable groups. The operator must also ensure that 95% of any audience reached by its ads must be 24 years old or older.
Advertisements for land-based gambling businesses will still be permitted, but they must be for land-based products and services only. There must be no link to any online services even if the gambling operator runs both land-based and online businesses.
All forms of sponsorship by gambling companies falls under the new restrictions. This means that TV programs and sports teams can no longer be sponsored by a gambling business as this is considered untargeted advertising. A transitional period applies to existing sponsorship contracts for TV programs and events which lasts until July 1st, 2024. Sponsorship of athletes, clubs, competitions and shirts and other material will remain permitted until July 1st, 2025. This is to allow clubs and teams to fulfill their contractual obligations. No new sponsorship deals or extensions to existing deals can be agreed after July 1st.
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