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On a recent date, the Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) imposed a fine of €21,500 on Casino Zoetermeer B.V. for permitting players registered in Cruks to access its gaming facilities. Cruks, also known as Gokstop, is the Dutch national self-exclusion register that prevents individuals from accessing online gambling, gaming machine halls, and casinos throughout the Netherlands. The authority initially imposed a fine of €25,000 following an investigation conducted in 2022. The investigation revealed that Casino Zoetermeer failed to adequately identify and verify player identities before granting access, which is a mandatory requirement for all gambling operators offering online or high-risk physical gambling services. During the investigation, the authority received reports from two individuals indicating that Casino Zoetermeer had not properly conducted Cruks checks. Subsequent examination confirmed that the operator had permitted two players who were registered in Cruks at the time of their visits to access the gaming hall. Casino Zoetermeer initially obtained a preliminary court order halting publication of the fine. However, after the authority rejected the operator's objections, Casino Zoetermeer appealed the decision. A court recently upheld the authority's substantive grounds for the fine but reduced the penalty to €21,500 on procedural grounds, finding that the reasonable timeframe for proceedings had been exceeded. Approximately 118,000 individuals are currently registered in Cruks. The authority emphasises that proper Cruks verification is essential for protecting players against gambling harm and supporting those who have chosen self-exclusion. The authority stated it will continue to monitor compliance rigorously and impose sanctions where necessary.