The Dutch gaming oversight body, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has levied penalties against Equinox Dynamic and Domiseda and Partners for running unauthorized gambling ventures in the Netherlands.
Equinox, a company headquartered in Curaçao, and Domiseda, based in Slovakia, were both instructed to pay €900,000 (£798,122/$966,201) for providing online gambling games in the Netherlands without the required permits.
The infractions centered on the Orientxpresscasino.com website, which the regulator asserted that both Equinox and Domiseda offered services for without securing a license as mandated by Dutch gambling and gaming regulations.
Users were able to engage in various online casino games, deposit and withdraw funds using Dutch payment methods, and select Dutch as the language, while the website itself had a Dutch IP address.
In response, Equinox declared that it had taken measures to prevent Dutch players from participating in or accessing the website to guarantee its operations adhered to Dutch law.
However, the regulatory body opted to proceed with the fines, arguing that the website’s provision of online gambling without a license had already contravened national law.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has also highlighted several exacerbating factors in this situation, as the platform lacks security measures for its users. This includes an absence of age confirmation, which means minors might be able to access online gaming.
Saudi Arabia stated that authorized online gambling operators are obligated to pay charges for applying for and maintaining permits, whereas illicit online gambling providers are not required to pay these fees.
“Moreover, unlawful providers do not contribute any taxes in the Netherlands and are not subject to the stringent regulations of the Gambling and Gaming Act and its associated licensing rules. This enables illicit providers to offer gambling opportunities that are forbidden for licensed operators, or to provide higher prices and incentives.
“Our objective is to establish a secure environment for those who wish to participate in online gambling,” added Saudi Arabia’s chairman Rene Jansen. “This involves taking decisive action against illegal providers.”
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