THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD – The Dutch Gambling Authority says the fine imposed on Curaçao-based Novatech Solutions N.V. reflects the serious risks associated with unlicensed online gambling, including addiction, fraud and harm to minors.
In its decision, the regulator described the gambling market as one that is especially vulnerable to abuse because players can lose money without a comparable effort in return. According to the authority, this creates heightened risks of fraud, deception and addiction, with consumers often suffering the consequences.
The Dutch regulator said gambling addiction can lead to severe psychological, social, physical and financial problems, including aggression, relationship breakdowns, family difficulties, workplace problems and debt. It also noted that problem gamblers are more likely to commit crimes such as theft and fraud.
The authority emphasized that online gambling poses even greater risks than traditional land-based gambling, especially for minors and people with a strong or developing urge to gamble. It pointed to the constant accessibility of online platforms, the lack of direct contact with providers, the isolation of players and the absence of social control.
The regulator also underlined that the games offered by Novatech included virtual slot machines, which it classified as short-odds games. These games are seen as especially risky because they are more often linked to addictive gambling behavior than long-odds games such as lotteries.
According to the authority, one of the most serious concerns was the absence of visible age verification during registration, deposit and gameplay. The regulator said there was no visible check to ensure that minors were excluded from the sites.
The Dutch authority called this particularly serious, arguing that minors are an especially vulnerable group and that exposure to online gambling at a young age increases the risk of addiction later in life.
The findings formed part of the justification for the large fine imposed on the Curaçao operator.