GoldWin Limited Fined €6,794,000 for Illegal Offering

Inspectors from the Ksa were able to create an account, log in and participate in online gambling when they inspected the westcasino.com website. No technical measures had been taken to prevent participants from the Netherlands, for example with an IP blockade. The age of participating players was also not visibly verified.

In January 2023, GoldWin received a first warning to stop the illegal offer. GoldWin did not respond to this. When an attempt was made to log in with an account that could be recognized as a KSA inspector, gambling was not possible, but the website could still be visited in the Netherlands with other accounts. On April 20, 2023, GoldWin was finally imposed an order subject to penalty, with the requirement to immediately stop the offer and keep it stopped. GoldWin subsequently did the same. Providers who receive a cease and desist order to immediately stop their offering may still be fined for the violation that occurred before the order was imposed. That is also the case here.

René Jansen, chairman of the Ksa: ‘We can often quickly put a stop to illegal supply with an order subject to a penalty. This does not mean that previously committed illegal activities disappear from view: they can still be punished.’

The fine amount is determined on the basis of a percentage of the estimated turnover for GoldWin Limited from Dutch players.

SOURCE: De Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa).