In line with an official announcement printed on the web site of the Netherlands Gaming Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the board of administrators determined to impose a fantastic on L.C.S Restricted, an MGA-licensed playing operator that owns and manages a complete of 16 on-line domains. One in every of them, Sonofslots.com had acted in violation of the Dutch Betting and Gaming Act. Underneath the act, playing operators are required to have native licensing to supply playing companies to Netherlands-based gamers.
As a result of lack of such a license, the playing authority imposed a fantastic of €2.07 on the corporate. This got here because of a year-long debate.
The regulator initially reported that the web site was accessible with a Dutch IP deal with. Throughout registration, the operator didn’t require age verification. Moreover, one might choose “Netherlands” from the drop-down menu as a rustic of origin, together with the nation code. Creating an account, logging in to it, depositing funds and taking part in varied video games of likelihood weren’t obstructed in any means. Moreover, the Phrases and Situations part didn’t designate the nation as an excluded one the place the operator didn’t supply playing companies.
As per info accessible on Sonofslots.com, L.C.S Restricted acknowledged its licensing got here from the Malta Gaming Authority, enabling the supply of video games of likelihood in Malta. Nevertheless, information from Similarweb, a Site visitors Rank and Web site Evaluation firm, indicated that the variety of visits from the Netherlands was substantial. KSA’s announcement additional acknowledged that the web site catered to the worldwide playing market and demonstrated orientation to gamers from the Netherlands as effectively.
The regulator launched its investigations again in March 2022. A follow-up in July of the identical yr indicated there was no change within the accessibility of the web site. Consequently, a penalty was issued in August, together with a stop and desist discover, demanding that the operator immediately discontinue its criminal activity.
René Jansen, chairman of the KSA, commented that the playing authority continued to conduct re-checks of operators who had obtained notices to stop their enterprise exercise “to confirm whether or not the provision has really been and can proceed to be discontinued.”
L.C.S Restricted Opposes KSA’s Resolution
L.C.S Restricted determined to dispute the regulator’s determination, claiming it was not doable to entry the web site from the Netherlands. Moreover, the corporate acknowledged that the information obtained from Similarweb was not a real illustration of the particular variety of visits from the nation. The corporate additionally noticed KSA’s estimate of income as fully inaccurate.
In reply to the operator’s protests, KSA identified that it was not gamers who have been banned from registering at an unauthorized website. Operators have been those that have been charged for providing unlawful playing companies. The regulator additional indicated that the information obtained from Similarweb was thought to be an goal and dependable third-party supply.
Lastly, the authority acknowledged it might have adjusted the income estimate however the lack of verifiable info prevented it from doing so. In line with KSA’s fantastic coverage, the scale of the penalty is predicated on 8% of the estimated turnover of the corporate within the Netherlands.
