Dutch KSA Clarifies Gambling Account Closure Rules

The Dutch Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has issued guidance to licensed gambling operators after identifying cases where customers faced unnecessary difficulties when attempting to close their gambling accounts.

The regulator said its findings showed that some licensed operators were not correctly applying the existing requirements for account closures. The guidance reinforces that customers who choose to stop gambling should be able to terminate their accounts without being subjected to additional obstacles.

Support Contact Should Not Be Mandatory

One issue identified by the KSA concerns operators requiring customers to contact customer service before their accounts could be closed.

According to the regulator, account termination should not depend on an additional customer-support interaction. A process that requires players to speak with an operator before leaving can create an unnecessary barrier to account closure.

The KSA also addressed what should happen when customers themselves contact support or open a chat specifically to request account closure. Such interactions should not be used by operators as an opportunity to convince customers to remain active or continue gambling.

Instead, the conversation should facilitate the customer’s request to close the account.

Operators Must Return Remaining Funds

The guidance also covers balances that remain in gambling accounts after a customer decides to leave.

Operators are expected to return outstanding funds without unnecessary delay. They should not impose extra requirements that create additional barriers for customers attempting to recover money still held in their accounts.

As a result, closing an account should involve both a clear termination process and the return of any remaining balance to the customer.

KSA Addresses Operator Practices

The KSA's intervention does not establish a new right for customers to close their accounts. Rather, it addresses how existing requirements have been applied by some licensed gambling operators.

The regulator considers the practices it identified unacceptable and has provided further clarification on how account closure procedures should operate in practice.

For licensed gambling businesses, the guidance places emphasis on the actual customer experience when an account is being closed. Procedures should not rely on delays, compulsory contact with customer support or attempts to persuade customers to keep gambling.

Any funds remaining in a closed account must also be returned to the customer without unnecessary barriers.