The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has moved to strengthen oversight of land-based gambling venues, releasing new duty of care guidance for gaming arcades and casinos.

The regulator said the advice is designed to help operators improve how they protect customers, following a series of site visits earlier this year. Inspectors noted that while arcades generally showed awareness of their safer gambling responsibilities, the way policies were applied in practice often left room for improvement.

Rather than adding new obligations, the KSA has provided operators with practical support – from a handbook and FAQs to awareness posters and a short animation – aimed at ensuring staff are better equipped to handle player protection on the ground.

The package also includes an updated guide to using Cruks, the country’s exclusion register, after repeated requests from operators for clarity.

“Working together” on safer gambling

Explaining the regulator’s position, KSA Chairman Michel Groothuizen said: “Certain key factors of the duty of care are easier to monitor for online providers than in brick-and-mortar casinos. In our conversations with arcade owners, we’ve noticed that they want to do more with the duty of care, but sometimes still struggle with its proper implementation.

“With this new guidance, supplemented with informational materials for employees, we’re giving them new tools to do so. In this way, we’re working together to ensure that players are optimally protected even at brick-and-mortar providers.”

Dutch market under pressure

The release comes at a time when the Dutch gambling market is undergoing sweeping change. The Remote Gambling Act (KOA) is being reshaped by Legal Protections Secretary Teun Struycken, with new safety rails set to tighten rules for online and retail providers alike.

July also saw the introduction of a blanket ban on sports sponsorships, further limiting operator visibility in the country. Enforcement has been stepped up too: in April, the KSA handed out a €734,000 fine to an unnamed operator for failing to comply with player protection standards.

Meanwhile, taxes on gambling companies have also been increased, though the regulator has acknowledged this has had less impact than restrictions and fines when it comes to curbing risky practices.

By publishing its new guidance now, the KSA is signalling that its focus on player protection will extend beyond the online space, with arcades and casinos expected to raise standards in line with the regulator’s wider crackdown.