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Dutch gambling authority KSA has warned sports betting licence holders after finding prohibited betting markets including MVP awards outside permitted scope.
Apr 3, 2026 · 3 min read
The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has issued guidance to sports betting licence holders regarding the boundaries of their operating permissions following supervision findings that revealed unauthorised betting offerings.
During regulatory oversight, the Dutch authority discovered several operators had offered wagers falling outside their licensed sports betting category. These included betting markets on prize competitions, notably Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards. The affected licence holders were immediately contacted and promptly removed the non-compliant offerings.
Non-Compliant Betting Markets
The KSA discovered operators offering MVP award betting and other prize competitions determined by juries rather than direct sporting results. These markets fall outside licensed sports betting permissions under Dutch regulation.
Under the Besluit kansspelen op afstand, sports betting licence holders may only offer wagers on events occurring during sporting contests or on the outcomes of such contests. Crucially, qualifying sporting events must take place within organised sport recognised by NOC*NSF or comparable international sporting organisations.
Markets excluded from this framework include prize competitions where outcomes are determined by juries or panels rather than direct sporting competition results. Political election betting and athlete transfer markets are explicitly prohibited.
Licensed Betting Boundaries
Sports betting operators can only offer wagers on events during sporting contests or their outcomes, specifically within organised sport recognised by NOC*NSF or comparable international organisations. Political election betting and athlete transfer markets remain explicitly prohibited.
The KSA emphasised that licence holders retain full responsibility for their gaming offerings, even when utilising external platforms or sportsbook providers. Operators must continuously monitor their portfolios and implement appropriate measures to prevent prohibited wagering opportunities.
Warning
Licence holders maintain full accountability for all gaming offerings, including those provided through external platforms or third-party sportsbook providers. Continuous portfolio monitoring is required to prevent prohibited wagering opportunities.
This intervention signals heightened scrutiny of market boundaries within the Netherlands' regulated framework. The clarification establishes clear precedent for what constitutes permissible sports betting content, potentially influencing how operators structure their international offerings to align with Dutch compliance standards.
Prize competitions like MVP awards, political election betting, and athlete transfer markets are explicitly banned. Only wagers on sporting contest events or outcomes within NOC*NSF recognised sports are permitted.
Yes, licence holders retain full responsibility for all gaming offerings, even when using external platforms or sportsbook providers. Operators must continuously monitor and control their entire betting portfolio.
Sporting events must occur within organised sport recognised by NOC*NSF or comparable international sporting organisations. The outcomes must result from direct sporting competition rather than jury or panel decisions.
According to KSA.
Legal Disclaimer
This content reflects a general overview of regulatory frameworks based on publicly available information. It does not constitute legal advice or a legal opinion. iGamingWriter.blog disclaims any liability arising from reliance on this material.
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