Dutch KSA Chair Calls for EU-Wide Action on Illegal Gambling Networks
KSA Chair Michel Groothuizen has called for European cooperation to combat illegal gambling, citing over €500 million ($587 million) in annual Dutch tax losses and offshore targeting of self-excluded players. The appeal follows a FATF report across more than 80 jurisdictions that found illegal markets often exceed legal ones, with Europe’s black market at €12B ($14.1B).
SCCG Take — National enforcement alone cannot counter transnational illegal networks. Regulators must secure European commitments to pressure payment and technology providers or risk persistent leakage from licensed markets.
Michel Groothuizen, chair of the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has called for coordinated European measures against illegal offshore gambling. National regulators cannot disrupt these operations alone, he argued in a September 11 blog post. Illegal operators leave the Netherlands with more than €500 million ($587 million) in lost tax revenue annually and target self-excluded players.
Groothuizen welcomed Dutch parliamentary debate on website blocking powers but noted insufficient attention to cross-border enforcement. “Against these globally operating tech and financial companies, the Netherlands is simply far too small,” Groothuizen said. “We inevitably need Europe to get such parties to work with us in the fight against illegal gambling.”
Limits of Domestic Enforcement Against Global Operators
The KSA has focused on disrupting payments, advertising, and technology infrastructure that sustains offshore sites. Regulators can impose fines running into tens of millions of euros. Collection remains difficult when operators change corporate structures or locate beyond reach. Dutch state-owned lottery Nederlandse Loterij has filed actions against three offshore sites over recent months.
Groothuizen compared current resources to “fighting a worldwide network of ruthless criminal organizations with dedicated neighborhood police officers.” Real impact, he wrote, requires clout at European level. These comments arrived days after a September 9 Financial Action Task Force report, according to Casino.org News.
The FATF examined gambling risks across more than 80 jurisdictions. It found illegal gambling markets rival or exceed legal markets in many places. Trade body Euromat estimated Europe’s illegal online gambling market at €12B ($14.1B). FATF President Giles Thomson stated that without robust safeguards these sectors attract fraudsters, money launderers, and organized crime. He called national regulation alone naive.
Requirements for Effective Cross-Border Enforcement
The alignment of Dutch and FATF positions exposes the structural weakness in relying on jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction enforcement. Licensed operators face competitive distortion from unregulated offshore supply that evades taxes and safeguards. European-level agreements targeting shared infrastructure now represent the minimum threshold for measurable progress against networks that operate without regard for national borders.
Reporting: Casino.org News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Groothuizen is right: unilateral enforcement is theater when illegal operators outspend regulators and pivot jurisdictions faster than fines clear.
We've watched this movie in every market we enter. Illegal operators exploit regulatory fragmentation — a Dutch fine means nothing to a Curaçao shell that switches payment rails overnight. Until European regulators coordinate on payment blocking and tech provider accountability, licensed operators compete with one hand tied. SCCG bridges these gaps daily.
- Netherlands loses €500M annually; illegal EU market estimated at €12B
- KSA chair: national enforcement is 'neighborhood police vs. global crime networks'
- FATF report across 80+ jurisdictions confirms illegal markets often exceed legal ones
SCCG angle: SCCG works both sides of this divide. We help licensed operators compete on product and payments where regulation allows, and we advise regulators and trade bodies on the tech and financial infrastructure that actually moves the needle — because we know the providers, the playbooks, and where enforcement breaks down across our 545 partner network in every regulated market.
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