The Netherlands’ games of chance provider, which operates under the brand name Unibet, has received two warnings from the Dutch regulator.
The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) shared an insight into a conversation it had with the provider, with non-targeted advertising being an initial concern.
“The KSA has indicated that it is always the provider’s responsibility to ensure that sponsorship agreements comply with laws and regulations.” – Dutch Gaming Authority
“Unibet is a sponsor of the cycling team Unibet Tietema Rockets. Part of this sponsorship is a coach on which the Unibet logo can be seen,” the regulator said in a translated press release.
“This coach has been used in the Netherlands not only to transport the sports team but also for other purposes. This has violated the ban on untargeted advertising.”
When asked by the Dutch authority, Optdeck is reported to have said they didn’t know the bus was being used for other transport. The cycling team has now been asked to stop using the bus with immediate effect and the bus is now to be provided with adapted stickers which don’t feature the Unibet logo.
“The KSA has indicated that it is always the provider’s responsibility to ensure that sponsorship agreements comply with laws and regulations.
“In addition, the coach in this form may no longer be on the road as of July 1, 2025, because then the ban on sports sponsorship will also come into force.”
There will be a country-wide ban on sports sponsorship by gambling operators from July onwards, with the regulator cracking down on this.
The KSA had also received a signal about a form of autoplay in a game reportedly offered by Unibet. This was said to include a BonusBuy feature where players can continue playing with purchased bonuses without having to start a new game
“The conversation showed that the BonusBuy violation was also a third-party error. After the game went live, this feature was wrongly activated by the provider.”
The function was only available for two hours and those who suffered losses during that time were compensated. Measures have also been taken to prevent this from happening in the future.
“Because both violations stopped immediately as soon as they were noticed, the KSA leaves it at a warning for now,” the regulator confirmed.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
