Dutch consumer advocates are putting more pressure on the country’s licensed online gambling sites. They say several big operators are enticing customers to unsafe play and breaking rules meant to protect users. 

Online Casinos Face Pressure as Consumer Groups Cite Deceptive Bonuses and Unsafe Limits

The Consumentenbond, working with Stichting Consumenten Competition Claims, says it wants money for players who claim these practices hurt them. If the operators do not agree to help, these groups plan to take the issue to court.

The organizations claim that a string of probes in recent years revealed concerning trends across platforms like Bet365, BetCity, Holland Casino Online, Jacks, Unibet, and TOTO. The findings show that players often faced unclear details about game terms and bonus rules. Studies also found that some sites used default settings and betting caps that nudged customers to spend way more cash than they planned, a scenario the groups think goes against the operators’ legal duty to care for their users under Dutch law.

The critics also highlight bonus offers that seemed to promise “free” perks while hiding important terms, as well as ad campaigns they call aggressive and deceptive. People speaking for consumers argue that these strategies go against the guidelines set up when online betting became legal in the Netherlands in 2021.

Critics Claim Gambling Operators Put Profit Over Player Protection

Those leading the claim push highlighted that the industry got a chance to run, with the idea it would create a safe, responsible setting. They now argue this has not happened. People from the Consumentenbond said they think many operators cared more about making money than keeping customers safe. They believe this reckless behavior breaks the law. They also said players who lost money because of these actions should get their money back.

The country’s Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit, said it knew about these claims. It mentioned that it had found problems before in how some licensed operators protected players. The watchdog said it had stepped up its checks, set up a special team to watch for rule-following, and punished companies when needed.

Gaming operators reacted to the accusations. TOTO did not agree with the claims but said it was ready to talk with consumer groups, reported the NL Times. The company explained that it gives clear information about game and bonus rules. It also added new safety measures, like lower spending caps for younger players and limits on credit card usage.

Holland Casino said responsible gaming is key to how it works. It also mentioned it had already changed some of its online services after earlier feedback. BetCity’s parent company had not heard from the Consumentenbond about the new findings but was open to talks. Jacks stressed that it follows the law and had not seen any solid proof backing up the claims yet.