Dutch Regulator Issues Warnings to Unibet Over Autoplay Advertising Violations

The Netherlands.- 4th July 2025 www.zonadeazar.com KSA Calls Out Breaches in Sponsorship Rules and Prohibited Bonus Features

Unibet, operating in the Netherlands under the name Optdeck, has received two official warnings from the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling authority, for violating national advertising and game feature regulations.

The first violation involved untargeted advertising, specifically a Unibet-branded bus used outside of approved sponsorship activities tied to the Unibet Tietema Rockets cycling team.

Sponsorship Deal Breach Leads to Immediate Action

The KSA stated that the team must stop using the branded vehicle immediately, and all team transport must be updated with logos that comply with current regulations.

Starting 1 July 2025, the Netherlands will ban all sports sponsorships by gambling operators. The regulator emphasized that it’s the operator’s responsibility to ensure full compliance.

Autoplay Feature Also Triggered KSA Warning

Unibet was also warned for enabling autoplay via its BonusBuy feature, which allowed players to continue gambling automatically with purchased bonuses — a practice strictly banned under Dutch law.

Optdeck claimed it was unaware the branded bus was being used improperly and stated that sponsorship compliance is a complex issue. The KSA acknowledged the operator’s immediate corrective actions, issuing only warnings for now — but warned of stricter penalties for future infractions.

Netherlands Enforces Strict Player Protection Measures

Since July 2023, the Netherlands has banned untargeted gambling ads across TV, radio, print, and public spaces. Only targeted digital advertising under strict conditions is allowed.

In 2024, the KSA introduced mandatory deposit limits and affordability checks, which led to a significant drop in high-loss accounts — from 4% to 1.2%.

With the sports sponsorship ban now in effect, and further regulatory reforms underway, the Netherlands continues its aggressive push for safer gambling — despite political delays caused by a collapsed coalition government.

Edited by: @MaiaDigital www.zonadeazar.com