Entain-owned BetCity fined a €400,000 by Dutch regulator

The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has slapped Entain-owned BetCity with a €400,000 fine after it found that BetCity-operated brand Betent was targeting young adults, aged 18 to 24, in its advertising campaign.

The regulator affirmed that such a practice is “prohibited”, and shared that it started its investigation after an investigative television program was broadcast and claimed that Betent had sent advertising messages to young adults. Under Dutch regulations, such an age group is considered a vulnerable target group.

KSA said “the brains of young people are still developing. As a result, they are extra susceptible to gambling addiction”.

Between 8th October 2021 and 16th March 2022, Betent reportedly sent messages to its customer base for online games of chance on its own website Betcity.nl. These messages also went to young adults.

Under the same investigation where it is exploring targeted ads at young adults, KSA has issued a total of four fines, including Betent’s, in six months.

René Jansen, chairman of the Ksa: ‘The law prohibits games of chance providers from targeting young adults with advertising. The Gaming Authority monitors this closely and with these four sanctions it once again underlines how important it is that providers of games of chance respect the rules that are intended to protect vulnerable target groups.’