The Netherlands’ gaming regulatory body, the Kansspelautoriteit, has demanded Catena Media halt its operations. This marketing affiliate is facing allegations of breaching Dutch gaming regulations by promoting online gambling companies in a manner targeting players within the Netherlands.
Headquartered in Malta, Catena Media has been directed to immediately cease all promotional endeavors in the Netherlands and is barred from any future campaigns. The regulatory authority has indicated that Catena Media could incur penalties reaching €21,000 per infraction for non-compliance.
The crux of the matter lies in Catena Media’s utilization of affiliate sites such as pellenoverzicht.com, gokoverzicht.com, and netentcasino.nl to market various online gambling entities to Dutch demographics. Access to these websites is now restricted for users within the Netherlands.
This measure originates from the updated online gambling regulations implemented in the Netherlands in May. These regulations are stringent, forbidding online gambling operators and their affiliates from employing any imagery that could be perceived as distinctly Dutch, such as tulips or windmills, to entice local players. Additionally, the regulations stipulate that affiliate websites using a .nl domain name cannot steer players towards online gambling websites with a .com domain. Operators who neglect to block traffic originating from the Netherlands are also in violation and could face sanctions.
It is noteworthy that a comprehensive online gambling legal structure is currently under review in the Dutch Senate and is anticipated to be enacted sometime in 2018. This new framework is expected to provide further clarity and reinforcement to the regulations governing online gambling advertising and marketing within the Netherlands.
