Dutch gambling regulator fines two operators €4.98 million

• The Kansspelautoriteit has imposed fines totalling €4.98 million on two operators for regulatory breaches.
• Tulipa Ent Limited received a €750,000 penalty for failing to protect young adult players showing signs of problem gambling.
• Starscream Limited faces a €4.23 million fine for offering illegal gambling to Dutch players without a licence.

The Dutch gambling regulator has penalised two operators for serious regulatory violations, issuing combined fines of nearly €5 million on Tuesday, 13 January.

The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) announced separate enforcement actions against Tulipa Ent Limited, which operates ComeOn in the Netherlands, and Starscream Limited, which offered unlicensed gambling services to Dutch players.

Tulipa Ent Limited fined €750,000

The regulator imposed a €750,000 penalty on Tulipa Ent Limited for inadequately implementing duty of care obligations between December 2023 and September 2024.

The KSA investigated 10 player files involving young adults with high losses. The regulator found violations of duty of care requirements in every case examined.

According to the enforcement decision, Tulipa failed to recognise signals of potentially problematic gambling behaviour in time. This resulted in delayed or inappropriate interventions to protect vulnerable players.

The young adult players examined lost thousands of euros in very short periods. The operator allowed excessively high deposit limits to be set without adequate safeguards.

Michel Groothuizen, chair of the KSA board, commented:

“The Ksa has previously found that the implementation of duty of care by providers varied too much and often left much to be desired. We have therefore carried out additional research with various providers, resulting in the various duty of care fines that we are now seeing come out.”

“Providers must absolutely not drop the ball on something as essential as duty of care, especially when it concerns vulnerable target groups such as young adults.“

This represents the second regulatory breach for Tulipa in recent months. The operator received a formal warning in November 2025 for failing to meet anti-money laundering obligations under Dutch law.

Starscream fined €4.23 million for illegal gambling

In a separate action, the KSA imposed a €4,228,000 fine on Starscream Limited for offering illegal gambling to Dutch players without the required licence.

The Saint Lucia-based operator provided gambling services via three websites: rantcasino.com, allstarzcasino.com, and sugarcasino.com. Players could create accounts, make deposits, and participate in gambling games on these platforms.

The regulator found that no technical measures had been implemented to prevent participation from the Netherlands. Starscream had previously received an order under penalty for this illegal offering.

The KSA determined that Starscream operated without meeting the high standards required of licensed operators. Players could gamble without visible age verification. The operator also offered autoplay functionality, which can facilitate addictive behaviour.

The Netherlands operates a regulated gambling market designed to provide better player protection. Illegal operators do not comply with the standards that legal providers must meet.

“The Kansspelautoriteit has a wide range of instruments for tackling illegal providers. Imposing an administrative fine is one of them,” Groothuizen said.

“Although collecting such fines presents challenges, especially for parties outside the EU, we continue to send the signal with these fines that we are cracking down hard on illegal offerings in the Netherlands.“

Part of broader enforcement pattern

The enforcement actions form part of intensified regulatory activity across the Dutch market. The KSA has demonstrated consistent action against operators breaching advertising and player protection regulations in recent months.

In December 2025, the regulator fined Unibet €4 million for failing to comply with duty of care standards. The operator had previously received a separate €450,000 penalty from the regulator.

JOI Gaming received a €400,000 penalty for using role models in advertising at the 2023 Jack’s Racing Day motorsport event. The Netherlands banned the use of celebrities and influencers in gambling advertising for high-risk products in June 2022.

The regulator expects licensed operators to implement effective monitoring systems to identify vulnerable players. When systemic failures are identified across multiple cases, financial penalties are imposed to ensure compliance.

For unlicensed operators, the KSA employs multiple enforcement tools beyond administrative fines. The regulator works intensively with payment service providers, hosting companies, banks, and major technology firms to restrict illegal gambling access.

Governance reforms to strengthen oversight

The enforcement actions coincide with organisational restructuring at the KSA. The regulator transitioned to a new governance structure on 1 January 2026, designed to strengthen oversight of the Dutch gambling market.

The KSA now operates under a revised board comprising one full-time chair supported by two part-time directors. Internal operations have been consolidated into three directorates focusing on player protection, licensing, and digitalisation.

Groothuizen remains in charge of day-to-day operations as the sole full-time executive board member. The changes aim to position the regulator to address technological, competitive, and social challenges facing the market.

Market challenges drive regulatory urgency

The restructuring responds to mounting challenges in the Dutch market. The illegal gambling sector has outpaced the regulated market for the first time, with channelisation rates falling below 50% of gambling revenues.

Latest audits revealed offshore operators captured €617 million in the first half of 2025, whilst the legal market generated €600 million during the same period. This represents a 16% decline in regulated market revenue compared to late 2024.

The first wave of five-year licences expires in October 2026. Operators reapplying will face tougher scrutiny under the KSA’s updated framework.

The regulator has explicitly stated that behaviour during the initial licence period will directly inform renewal decisions. Operators who have faced enforcement actions or demonstrated poor compliance may find their applications rejected.

Both enforcement decisions are now final. The KSA continues to monitor compliance across the Dutch market and pursue illegal operators targeting Dutch consumers.