KSA, the Dutch gambling regulator, has fined Blue High House €1.125 million. The company offered online casino games to players in the Netherlands without a local license.
An investigation by the KSA found that Dutch players could access the company’s Betonline.ag website and play without any restrictions. This means that it had failed to take steps to stop access by Dutch players.
The site also offered restricted game features like autoplay and turbo play in addition to being available to Dutch players.
The regulator says Blue High House failed to verify players’ date of birth information. It also used unauthorized payment methods. This includes cryptocurrency.
Previously, the KSA has issued a penalty payment order and a cease-and-desist order to the operator which received no response.
Michael Groothuizen, chairman of the KSA, said the Netherlands has a legal market to ensure people can gamble safely. Illegal providers, like Blue High House in this case, often fail to account for risky gaming behavior.
He added that players can create an account on the website without verifying their age, allowing minors to play. They also saw things like autoplay and turboplay, which can encourage excessive gaming, and there were no gaming limits. The KSA takes tough action against these types of illegal websites.
