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Teun Struycken, the Dutch state secretary for legal protection, stressed the need of player protection during a March 12 parliamentary session. He made it clear, though, that outright prohibiting casino advertising is not the best course of action. Struycken said that the Netherlands might reveal Belgium’s evasion strategies.
Recently, Belgium banned sports teams from wearing team jerseys that featured gambling sponsors. However, businesses managed to get past this regulation. For instance, “U-experts,” an app connected to Unibet’s gambling services, is now available on Club Brugge, which was formerly sponsored by Unibet. Likewise, Cercle Brugge substituted “Golden Palace News” for “Golden Palace Casino.”
Starting July 1, the Netherlands will enforce a ban on sports sponsorships by licensed online gambling providers. The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has stressed that gambling operators bear responsibility for compliance, even if ads come from third parties. Lawmakers worry that companies may bypass regulations as seen in Belgium.
Struycken acknowledged these concerns, stating: “I cannot rule out that there are parties in the Netherlands that will try to display sponsor names or logos related to their gambling company in a similar way as in Belgium. If this happens, the gaming authority will use all legal means to prevent or stop this.”
To strengthen oversight, he suggested tightening online gambling advertising rules and amending the Gambling Act to include marketing agencies and online platforms in enforcement measures.
Despite concerns, Struycken and the KSA oppose an outright advertising ban. Regulators argue that players need clear guidance on legal gambling options. Instead, they propose shifting to a “prohibited unless allowed” model, where advertising is banned by default unless explicitly permitted.
Struycken also addressed concerns about minors seeing gambling ads. While acknowledging the risks, he pointed out that as long as sports sponsorships remain legal elsewhere, completely shielding underage audiences is unrealistic.
The debate highlights the challenge of balancing responsible advertising, regulatory enforcement, and industry compliance in the evolving gambling landscape.