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The outgoing minister in charge of Dutch gambling issues has promised to examine a proposed gambling advertising ban and report on issues such as its impact on keeping players in the licensed system and on contributions to charities and sports.
Sander Dekker committed his department to producing a study, due in April, in response to the House of Representatives’ motion asking the government to ban “targeted” advertising for “high-risk” gambling.
In a letter dated January 6, while he was still minister for legal protection, Dekker told the House of Representatives that he believes it might be too early to consider banning gambling advertising.
“In view of the fact that advertising for legal providers is the only way to draw players' attention to the legal offer and to identify with illegal providers, advertising is necessary to achieve the channelling objective,” he wrote. “A certain amount of advertising was therefore to be expected and is also necessary.”
On January 10, a new Cabinet took office and ex-Altmere mayor Franc Weerwind replaced Dekker as minister for legal protection.
In his letter, Dekker cited “strict rules”, including the fact that no gambling ads may target young or vulnerable people.
Dekker also cited the gambling industry’s voluntary code, which will seek to reduce the volume of ads, and which takes effect on February 1.
Before any ban should be implemented, there needs to be a definition of “untargeted advertising” and to which media a ban should apply, he said.
Finally, any regulation should be in line with European Union guidelines on free movement of services and freedom of expression, he said.
Separately, it has been reported that the Netherlands’ second-largest city, Rotterdam, has filed more gambling-related lawsuits challenging those receiving public assistance than any other Dutch municipality, according to Trouw.
Those on public assistance are required to report if they have gambled, under pain of forfeiting their benefits for the months in which they gambled, according to the newspaper.
The provision is in line with rules that require those on assistance to report any other sources of income.
Rotterdam filed 133 lawsuits, or nearly a quarter of the total in the country, compared with 41 for Amsterdam, according to the newspaper.
In 20 cases, the city demanded amounts ranging from €4,000 to €22,000 and its complaints were sustained all or at least in part in every case, Trouw said.
