TITLE: Netherlands Gambling Authority Issues Record Fine of €24.8 Million Against Illegal Operator Novatech
BODY:
On [date not specified], the Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, KSA) imposed administrative fines against two illegal gambling operators for offering unlicensed gambling services to Dutch players.
Novatech received a fine of €24,846,000—the highest penalty the KSA has issued to date—for operating the illegal gambling websites Qbet.com and 55Bet.com. Fortaprime SRL received a fine of €1,795,000 for operating eight illegal gambling websites, including amonbet101.com, supraplay.com, amonbet.com, bilucky.com, gxspins.com, kaasino.com, hiddenjack.com, and luckymax7.com. Both operators had previously received cease-and-desist orders with financial penalties.
KSA staff were able to create player accounts, make deposits, and participate in gambling on these sites without encountering technical measures to prevent access from the Netherlands. The KSA identified multiple aggravating factors, including the absence of visible age verification mechanisms, acceptance of cryptocurrency and anonymous payment methods that facilitate money laundering, and the lack of responsible gambling protections.
The KSA applied revenue-based fines rather than standard penalties, calculating fines as a percentage of estimated illegal turnover from Dutch players. However, KSA leadership noted that Dutch legislation caps fines at 10 percent of global turnover, significantly limiting enforcement effectiveness. The KSA stated that without this legal cap, Novatech's fine would have exceeded €100 million, reflecting the scale of its illegal operations targeting Dutch consumers.
The KSA pursues enforcement through multiple channels, including collaboration with payment service providers, hosting companies, banks, and technology firms. The authority also targets individuals and influencers who promote illegal gambling operators.