The Netherlands Gambling Authority (Ksa) has imposed a €4 million fine on Optdeck Service Limited for failing to meet its duty of care obligations to players between July 14, 2022, and July 1, 2024.
Optdeck operates online gaming services in the Netherlands under the Unibet brand. Under Dutch law, gambling operators must protect players from excessive participation and gambling-related harm. According to the Ksa, Optdeck failed to meet these requirements across multiple areas of player protection.
Regulatory Investigation Findings
The Ksa conducted a detailed review of player files from Optdeck’s operations. The investigation revealed systematic duty of care breaches across all examined accounts.
Regulators found that when players deposited thousands of euros daily, the operator failed to intervene promptly despite detecting signs of excessive gambling behavior. Income verification requests were only initiated after several weeks, during which time players had already sustained substantial losses.
The interventions implemented by the operator were deemed insufficient, including easily dismissible pop-up windows that did not effectively address problematic gambling patterns.
Additionally, the Ksa identified improper practices in financial data verification. Optdeck’s income checks included sources that Dutch regulations do not permit, such as company accounts.
Regulator Statement
Michel Groothuizen, chairman of the Ksa board, stated: “When there are signs of excessive gambling behavior and someone wagers a large amount of money in a short period of time, a provider must promptly investigate the source of the money. This can be done by requesting income information. It is essential that providers conduct this analysis properly, because not all financial resources can simply be included.”
Groothuizen added: “The Ksa takes violations of its duty of care very seriously and will continue to take strong action against them.”
Part of Broader Regulatory Challenges
This penalty marks the latest in a series of regulatory actions against Unibet operations across multiple jurisdictions.
In October 2024, the UK Gambling Commission issued a £10 million fine to Platinum Gaming Limited, the operator of Unibet and Bingo.com brands in the United Kingdom. The penalty addressed serious anti-money laundering and social responsibility failings between January 2023 and May 2024.
The UK case revealed that customers lost substantial sums without appropriate intervention. One customer lost £5,000 within 24 hours of registration and more than £16,000 in under three months, yet the operator’s systems failed to identify them as at-risk. Another player lost over £31,000 across nine months, hitting their monthly loss limit six times without triggering operator interaction.
The UK Gambling Commission also identified failures in Platinum Gaming’s money laundering risk assessment, which did not account for customers whose accounts had been previously closed due to money laundering or terrorist funding concerns prior to 2023.
Platinum Gaming was also handed a formal warning and must undergo a third-party audit to verify effective implementation of anti-money laundering and safer gambling policies.
Market Exits and Strategic Shifts
The regulatory penalties come as Unibet has undergone significant strategic changes across multiple markets.
In November 2024, Unibet exited the Italian market as the country introduced a new online gambling regime. Italy’s Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli launched 52 new licenses costing €7 million each, with stricter compliance rules and higher entry costs.
Unibet was among several international brands, including Betway, Betaland, Betn1, and 1xBet, that chose not to renew under the new Italian regulatory framework.
The company also withdrew from North America in 2024, ceasing operations in the United States and Canada after struggling to gain market share against established competitors.
Industry Impact
The Netherlands fine reflects growing regulatory scrutiny across European gambling markets. Regulators are placing increased emphasis on operator compliance with player protection standards and financial crime prevention measures.
The Ksa’s enforcement action sends a clear message to operators in the Dutch market about the financial consequences of inadequate player protection systems.
For Unibet’s parent company, the accumulated regulatory penalties across multiple jurisdictions represent both financial costs and reputational challenges as the operator seeks to maintain licenses in key regulated markets.
Source: KSA
