Dutch lawmakers push for 9PM gambling ad watershed

A debate on potential amendments to the Netherlands’ gambling regulations in the country’s House of Representatives saw lawmakers support a number of new controls, notably a ban on gambling advertising on television before 9PM. Regulations currently state that no gambling advertising may be shown between 6AM and 7PM. However, a motion put forward during a plenary debate held yesterday (December 17) for this to be brought in line with alcohol, which is subject to a broadcast ad ban from 6AM to 9PM, was approved. Representatives also backed motions to have the Dutch gambling regulator the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) enforce the two-year ban on operators that failed to comply with the prohibition on igaming, which will only be lifted when the market opens. Lawmakers, on the other hand, have also called on the government to start a dialogue with the KSA to get a better idea of efforts to ensure video games publishers comply with gambling regulations. Since 20 June, 2018, the KSA has enforced a ban on loot boxes, which has forced developers of popular titles such as Electronic Arts’ Fifa series to tweak their content for the market. Two of the more stringent proposals, a bid to have gambling advertising treated with the same controls already imposed on tobacco products and a call to have the minimum age for gambling raised, were rejected. A number of others, including offering major Dutch sports governing bodies a veto on allowing gambling on certain events, were not brought to a vote during the debate.