Entain’s BetCity Fined €2.65M by KSA Over Youth Gambling Safeguard Failures

The Netherlands gambling authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has imposed a €2.65 million penalty on Entain’s subsidiary BetCity for systemic failures in protecting young gamblers. A July 2022–February 2023 inquiry into 10 players aged 18-23 revealed that the platform ignored red flags as the group collectively deposited over €500,000, with no meaningful intervention to curb excessive losses.

Regulators found BetCity violated oversight responsibilities across all reviewed accounts, failing to apply mandatory safeguards despite clear patterns of high-risk behavior. The penalty aligns with growing scrutiny of operators’ duty to vulnerable players.

Inadequate Measures Exposed

The KSA investigation uncovered clear examples of BetCity’s operational failures, including a gambler losing 63,000 within a year, 43,000 of which vanished in a single month without triggering protective measures. Another player lost 80,000 in a year while retaining unrestricted betting access.

Most alarming of the cases is that of a 21-year-old who hemorrhaged €45,000 in two weeks. BetCity only intervened after €64,000 had been wagered and merely reduced maximum stake limits from €100,000 to €400. Regulators dismissed these adjustments as insufficient.

While BetCity offered voluntary limit reductions and responsible gambling resources, KSA condemned these as routine gestures, emphasizing operators’ legal obligation to proactively shield young adults. The group is deemed especially susceptible to gambling-related harm under Dutch law.

Regulator Doubles Down on Oversight

KSA Chair Michel Groothuizen emphasized the agency’s hardened stance, declaring, “We have a licensed gambling market based on the principle that anyone who wants to gamble can do so safely.” He vowed “strong action” against systemic failures like BetCity’s.

While BetCity argued that high-stakes bets don’t inherently signal financial strain, regulators countered that none of the reviewed users demonstrated the capacity to sustain such losses. KSA concluded the operator neglected mandatory affordability checks and protective interventions, leaving vulnerable players exposed despite clear patterns of unsustainable gambling behavior.

Noncompliance pattern

BetCity’s latest fine marks its third regulatory sanction since 2023, following a €3 million penalty for anti-money laundering lapses and a €400,000 fine for an advertising violation. A BetCity spokesperson stated, “We acknowledge KSA’s findings in this case. This legal action concerns the historical failures of BetCity’s previous owner and management, Sports Entertainment Media.”

Entain, which acquired the platform in January 2023, claims to have overhauled safeguards, though regulators remain unconvinced. An August appeal by the operator attempted and failed to overturn the penalty.