The Netherlands gambling regulator (Kansspelautoriteit/KSA) has reminded operators that untargeted ads are no longer permitted. The warning comes in the wake of a recent violation that forced the KSA to intervene.

According to the authority, a licensed gambling company had aired an untargeted ad during a TV game show. While the Netherlands has yet to fully prohibit TV sponsorships, there are some strict restrictions, that this operator violated.

For reference, the Netherlands banned untargeted advertisements last year and is set to disallow TV sponsorships from July 1, 2024. Then, a year later, the country also plans to ban gambling sponsorship contracts in professional sports.

The gradual crackdown on gambling advertisements and sponsorships takes in mind gambling companies’ existing deals and provides them with ample time to prepare for the changes. However, the KSA continues to detect certain violations from time to time.

The crackdown on advertising seeks to combat the concerning problem gambling rates in the country and protect minors and vulnerable groups from exposure to gambling content.

The KSA Asked the Operator and TV Program to Fix the Issue

Commenting on the current case, the KSA explained that the advertisement in question failed to meet the conditions for TV program sponsorships. According to the authority, such sponsorships mean that an operator’s logo is allowed to appear neutrally during broadcasts.

However, the TV program in question also featured a game element involving a fruit-themed slot. The KSA emphasized that it does not believe this to be a “neutral expression.”

The KSA added that it contacted the operator and the TV program in question, addressing the matter. As a result, the game element was adjusted, the regulator concluded.

The current warning comes a month after the KSA launched a probe into slot machine arcades. In December, the authority warned that supervisors will carry out checks on compliance with the requirements of addiction prevention, ensuring that arcades do not violate the rules.

In the meantime, the KSA prepares for a major leadership change this year as René Jansen, its current board chairman, reached retirement age and decided not to renew his term.

The post KSA Reprimands Operator over Untargeted TV Sponsorship Segment appeared first on Keno Wizard.

SOFTSWISS, the established international provider of software and content for online casinos and sportsbooks, has released the results of its research which shows that the cryptocurrency segment has experienced slower growth compared to the entire iGaming industry in the first nine months of 2023.

The analysis conducted by SOFTSWISS was based on data collected from the over 530 online casino and sportsbook brands which are currently using the supplier’s online gaming platform. Moreover, the company also took into account the in-game currency conversion possibilities as SOFTSWISS clients are able to play fiat only games even when holding just crypto currencies in their balance.

The global iGaming market has registered constant growth during the first three quarters of 2023. The total amount of money wagered went up by 36.6 percent compared to the first nine months of 2022, and the number of bets have also gone up by 50 percent year-on-year.

However, cryptocurrency bets during the first nine months of 2023 registered an increase of just 18.7 percent compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the number of crypto bets went up by 66.4 percent compared to 2022. The share of crypto bets in the total bets amount decreased by 4.3 percent, ending up at 28.5 percent.

The analysis conducted by SOFTSWISS also points out that the sums of crypto bets registered incremental growth from quarter to quarter since the beginning of 2022, but their share in the total bets sum decreased, mainly due to larger increases registered by the sums of fiat bets.

Andrey Starovoitov, Co-Chief Executive Officer at SOFTSWISS, underlined that cryptocurrencies are showing signs of weakness in other fields as well, such as fundraising, “where the third quarter showed its worst results since the end of 2020”. However, Starovoitov concluded that “the position of cryptocurrencies in iGaming could be evaluated as comparatively stable at the moment.”

Top 5 Most Used Crypto Currencies

SOFTSWISS also revealed which were the most used digital coins in the iGaming industry during the first three quarters of 2023. The top five doesn’t bring any surprises, it remains unchanged since the beginning of 2022 with Bitcoin dominating the market with a 74.9 percent share, Ethereum gathered 8.9 percent, Litecoin followed with 6 percent, Tether had 4.6 percent while Dogecoin wrapped up the top five with 3 percent.

Bitcoin also managed to register an increase of 3.9 percent in its share compared to the first nine months of 2022. Ethereum on the other hand lost 6.3 percent from its market share during the first three quarters of 2023.

Source: “9M 2023 Crypto in iGaming Landscape: Moderate Growth Amidst Fiat Rise“. SOFTSWISS. October 24, 2023.

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