TonyBet has scored an own goal in the Netherlands after listing two betting markets that broke local regulations.
The online sports betting site and live gaming service received a warning from the Netherlands Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), after offering bets on the winner of the Ballon d’Or and also the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Boot.
Under strict Dutch regulations, there is a ban on any market that relies upon a voting panel or a jury decision.
What Is The Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or is a global award, presented annually to the best football player of the year.
Lionel Messi has received the golden trophy a record eight times through his illustrious career, while Cristiano Ronaldo has won it on five occasions.
Significantly, the trophy is voted for by sports journalists from all around the world, rather than being based on metrics such as goals scored or games played.
Licensed sportsbooks in the Netherlands are only allowed to offer markets on sporting events organised by official national or international bodies and only where there are clear performance metrics available.
TonyBet confirmed to the KSA that no bets had been placed on either offering before the markets were removed from the sports betting app and the firm promised to tighten its internal controls and monitor all future offers, including those from third-party providers.
In light of the above, the KSA decided that a warning was the appropriate action, though it does have the power to impose fines of up to €2 million for penalty violations under its updated regulations.
The Dutch authority is swift to act when it sees its rules being transgressed.
In June, BetMGM was warned over using FC Barcelona star Lamine Yamal in a gambling advertisement.
Yamal was 17 at the time and Dutch gaming laws prohibit bookmakers in the Netherlands from using imagery of players under 25 and any who may have a large fanbase among a young audience.
Gambling Tax Hike backfires
Last September, the new Conservative coalition government in the Netherlands announced it was raising income tax generated by gambling firms.
This was to be done in two stages between this year and next, to give sports betting apps time to adapt to the new costs.
This was all under the watchful eye of the KSA, but rather than increasing revenue income for the country, it appears to have driven more bettors towards offshore betting sites.
Earlier this month, the Dutch regulator conceded the tax hike had backfired as revenue plummeted.
Jim Munro is a betting industry and gambling expert who has been a national newspaper journalist for over 30 years, predominantly at The Sunday Times and The Sun, where he wrote a weekly soccer betting column. Jim also worked on the launch of Virgin Bet with Gamesys and was subsequently head of editorial at LiveScore, the sports media and betting group.
