LeoVegas Appeals €500k Dutch Duty of Care Fine

LeoVegas has confirmed that it will continue to challenge a six-figure penalty imposed by the Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, KSA), following findings that the operator breached its duty of care requirements.

The KSA announced that LeoVegas failed to meet its player protection obligations across all customer files reviewed between October 2023 and May 2024. As a result, the regulator issued a €500,000 fine.

According to the authority, shortcomings included insufficient and delayed responses to customers who deposited and lost substantial sums within short timeframes. In one cited case, a player displaying what the regulator described as “serious signs of excessive gambling” initially received only a dismissible pop-up message, which the KSA deemed inadequate as an intervention.

Despite the ruling, LeoVegas told iGaming Expert that it disputes the regulator’s conclusions and will proceed with its appeal.

A spokesperson for the group stated that LeoVegas takes responsible gambling and duty of care obligations seriously, while maintaining that it does not agree with the KSA’s assessment. The company added that it respects the Dutch regulatory framework and has continued to strengthen its responsible gaming procedures since the review began, with further improvements ongoing.

KSA chair Michel Groothuizen reiterated that duty of care is a cornerstone of player protection and warned that the regulator is intensifying its supervision in this area.

“Providers must respond adequately when excessive gambling behaviour occurs,” Groothuizen said, noting that rapid and significant losses are a clear warning sign. He added that the regulator will take decisive action where operators fall short, as duty of care standards cannot be compromised.