The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Netherlands’ gambling regulator, is asking licensed online gambling operators to stop using the “Deel je bet” or “Share Your Bet” feature right away. According to the regulator, the tool can work like hidden advertising and may expose vulnerable people, including minors and those with gambling problems, to betting content they should not be seeing.
The share your bet feature lets players send details of a wager they have placed through social media, messaging apps, or email. Someone who receives the link can look at the bet and, if they already have an account with the same operator, place the exact same wager with just one click.
In an announcement published on Wednesday (February 4), the regulator said it looked more closely at the feature after receiving several questions and signals from the market. After reviewing how it works, the authority concluded that the feature allows gambling content to spread easily within players’ own social circles.
Concerns about indirect advertising and vulnerable groups
The regulator believes the tool acts as a form of advertising and recruitment, even though the bets are shared by players rather than by the gambling companies themselves. Under Dutch rules on recruitment, advertising, and gambling addiction prevention, gambling providers must make sure their advertising does not reach vulnerable groups such as minors, young adults, or people at risk of gambling addiction.
The problem, according to the regulator, is that operators have no control over who receives these shared betting links. Players decide for themselves who they send them to, which means links can easily end up with underage users or other at risk individuals. Because of this lack of control, the regulator says operators cannot guarantee they are complying with advertising and player protection laws.
The authority also warned that making it easy to share bets can make gambling feel more normal, especially for younger people. Seeing friends share bets could lower the barrier to getting involved in gambling in the first place.
As a result, the regulator is urging licensed online gambling operators in the country to remove the share your bet feature immediately. The authority added that it will keep a close eye on the market and take enforcement action if needed to protect vulnerable groups.
Featured image: Ksa
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