LeoVegas faces KSA scrutiny in the Dutch market

LeoVegas Group owes the Kansspelautoriteit €500,000 due to failures in its duty of care. I see that the company continues to contest this penalty through an ongoing appeal process. This enforcement action occurs as the regulator increases its supervision of player protection measures through at least 2026. The company states it takes its duty of care obligations seriously and continues to develop its responsible gaming processes. LeoVegas operates in the Netherlands through its subsidiary 21 Heads Up Limited, which holds a five-year license for casino, live casino, and sports betting. The group belongs to MGM Resorts International following a $604 million acquisition that closed in September 2022. The NGA assesses remote gambling applications via a digital portal where applicants must upload company policies regarding reliability, addiction prevention, advertising, and internal monitoring, alongside detailed reports on the control database and information security systems to ensure full compliance. The NGA provides a six-month assessment period, which can extend for another six months. This process requires a non-refundable handling fee of €48,000, payable via bank transfer or iDEAL. Applicants must also submit forms regarding their inspected, tested, and certified game systems and specific reports on information security. The NGA Application Portal requires documentation for several modules, including reliability, AML and match-fixing, financial stability, addiction prevention, advertising, internal monitoring, and the game system. B2C licensees must ensure their entire operation complies with the BGA and the AML Act, even when they outsource services to third parties.

The Dutch government imposes strict rules on how gambling companies communicate with the public. Since July 2023, the Decree on Untargeted Advertising for Remote Games of Chance prohibits untargeted advertising. This rule prevents licensees from using television, radio, newspapers, billboards, or public spaces to reach consumers. Operators may only advertise if they avoid reaching vulnerable groups and people who have opted out of advertising. The regulations tightened in July 2024 when the government prohibited sponsorships for programs and events outside of sports. By July 2025, the ban expanded to include sponsorships of sports teams, jerseys, competitions, and venues. All operators must include the tagline "What does gambling cost you? Stop on time. +18" on all websites and marketing campaigns to meet requirements approved by the Minister for Legal Protections. This messaging, which the regulator conceived with the Trimbos Institute, aims to prevent gambling addiction. I find the regulatory environment difficult for operators because the government is even considering a total advertising ban. Bjorn Fuchs, the chairman of VNLOK, argues that the framework depends on a visible legal market to guide consumers to licensed operators. One operator recently faced a fine because it included betting odds on a soccer news site as a hyperlink, which the KSA determined was a way to circumvent advertising rules. Operators also cannot advertise gambling inside non-gambling games or during sporting contests for live bets, except on the operator’s own website. I wonder if the KSA will eventually penalize every operator that uses any form of digital hyperlink to promote betting odds.

Compliance with the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act, or Wwft, is mandatory for all licensed B2C operators. In July 2025, the regulator issued official warnings to three licensed operators for failing to monitor transactions or report suspicious activity to the Dutch Financial Intelligence Unit. LeoVegas must also manage player limits to satisfy its duty of care. Since October 1, 2024, operators must make personal contact if a new player sets deposit limits of €350 or more per month, or €150 for those aged 18 to 23. Operators must also block new deposits once a player reaches net deposits of €700 per month, or €300 for those aged 18 to 23, unless the player proves they can afford it. The regulator requires companies to detect risky signals within one hour of detection. Players use the CRUKS system to self-exclude from the regulated market, and licensed providers must check this register before every game. The KSA can issue administrative fines of up to €1,030,000 or 10% of prior-year turnover to non-compliant operators. I also note that the regulator prohibits the use of temporary accounts and the use of virtual currencies for gambling. You already know that identity verification is vital, and operators must establish that a player is 18 or older and not registered in CRUKS. The KSA monitors how operators handle player balances and withdrawal requests. Operators must show stakes in euros and warn players if default stakes exceed the minimum.

The LeoVegas platform provides over 3,000 games from 40 different providers. I find the average RTP of 97.27% across its featured games to be a specific detail for those looking at value. The library includes slots, table games, live dealer games, jackpot games, crash games, and scratchcards. The company uses the Rhino technical platform, which it developed to support its mobile-centric approach. Mattias Wedar, who took over as CEO in June 2025, leads the company’s efforts in the Dutch market.