Dutch gaming industry regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) recently issued a notice that PokerStars knows that the Netherlands is a prohibited area, but it still allows Dutch players to enter the game through the PokerStars Europe station.

 

KSA found multiple violations

 

In a survey initiated by KSA in late 2018, investigators found that within six weeks, 33,000 accounts in the Netherlands processed transactions through the popular Dutch iDEAL.

 

The fact that PokerStars used iDEAL as a player deposit channel is seen as evidence that the group is targeting Dutch players. PokerStars Europe also provides Dutch language services and is linked to certain gaming projects in the Netherlands, which are problematic under the Dutch legal framework.

 

Since being notified by KSA, pokerstar.eu has removed iDEAL from its payment options and no longer provides information in Dutch. PokerStars believes that these things they do should not be regarded as an endorsement of previously suspected illegal gaming activities.

 

As Dutch authorities began to regulate their online gambling industry in 2021, several operators were fined by KSA. Large companies like Unibet, Casino.com and 1xbet have all been fined more than 400,000 euros, while companies like GVC, William Hill and Betsson have been fined fines.

 

Regulatory issues for PokerStars

 

Money does not solve all problems. The problems faced by PokerStars and other operators fined by KSA are beyond the scope of financial penalties. Because the Dutch government has proposed a two-year "cooling period", if an operator is found to be actively accepting Dutch customers without permission, it must wait at least two years before applying for an entry permit in the Netherlands. This means that PokerStars and other operators may not be able to enter this lucrative market for some time.

 

These issues may increase the regulatory issues for the group. Due to changes in laws in these jurisdictions, PokerStars has had to leave some markets, such as Switzerland. Although it may eventually return, after the problems in the United States, UIEGA has shown that this process is not fast or simple.

 

Such regulatory issues have clearly touched the bottom line of the group. Last week, the company announced that it would lay off staff at the headquarters office on Mann Island. In the statement, the company said that "our main market is in chaos," which is part of the "headwind" that caused revenue to fall. According to the Mann Daily report, as many as 80 jobs may be lost on the island in the next two years.