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The enforcement action follows a KSA investigation that examined the betting patterns of 10 young adults aged 18 to 24 who experienced substantial financial losses during the period in question.
Case Details Reveal Pattern of Oversight Failures
The KSA’s investigation focused on multiple cases, including one particularly concerning account belonging to a 22-year-old player who registered with the operator in December 2021.
Within the first month of registration, the player deposited over €2,000—an amount that exceeded the monthly average income for young people in the Netherlands at that time, which stood at €1,367. Later in December, the player attempted a single deposit exceeding €4,000, which surpassed their stated deposit limit.
By February 2022, just two months after registration, total deposits had reached €10,000. Betent reviewed the account at this point and concluded no intervention was necessary. Following an email about deposit limits sent in February, the player attempted a €9,000 deposit within hours.
The deposits continued to escalate. By May 2022, the player had deposited over €26,000 through multiple credit card transactions, with Betent still determining that no action was required. The account was temporarily blocked in August 2022 after the player failed to respond to source of funds inquiries, but was reinstated by September.
By January 2023, total deposits exceeded €80,000. Only at this point did Betent implement a mandatory monthly deposit limit of €450.
Regulator Emphasizes Operator Responsibilities
The KSA stated that Betent “exposed players to the risk of injury by breaching its duty of care” and failed to provide adequate protection for remote gambling activities that presented high to very high risk levels.
In doing so, it has neglected one of its most important legal responsibilities to the player and undermined trust in the responsible, reliable and verifiable organisation of licensed gambling.
KSA chair Michel Groothuizen emphasized the importance of player protection in the licensed market.
We have a licensed gambling market based on the principle that anyone who wants to gamble can do so safely. Therefore, providers have a duty of care to their players and must respond appropriately to excessive gambling. Large losses are an important signal of this. We have intensified our oversight of the online duty of care, and we are taking strong action against violations like those we observe here at BetCity.
Groothuizen added:
We truly do not want to see providers fail so badly in their duty of care, especially for vulnerable young players.
Entain Attributes Violations to Previous Ownership
Responding to the KSA’s ruling, Entain—which acquired BetCity in January 2023—clarified that the documented failings occurred under previous ownership.
We acknowledge the KSA’s findings in the case that relates to issues in 2022 and early 2023. This legal action concerns the historic failure of BetCity’s previous owner and management, Sports Entertainment Media. Since acquiring BetCity in January 2023, Entain has thoroughly reviewed and significantly strengthened all operational processes to enhance player protection and uphold responsible gaming best practices.
Broader Enforcement Pattern
This enforcement action is part of a broader KSA initiative targeting duty of care violations. In April 2025, the regulator issued a €734,000 fine to an unnamed operator for similar failings.
The KSA revealed in July that six operators were under investigation for comparable offences. Peter Rampertaap, KSA coordinator of operational supervision, described the conduct of some licence holders as “unacceptable.”
Last week, Groothuizen called for international regulatory cooperation, urging regulators to establish a “gambling Interpol” to address black market gambling operations.
Source: Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA)
