The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling regulator, has issued an important update clarifying its stance on the use of influencers and streamers in online gambling advertising. In response to growing concerns about the influence of social media figures on younger, more vulnerable audiences, the KSA has confirmed that influencers and other online personalities are now explicitly prohibited from being used in gambling advertisements.
This clarification is part of the country’s broader efforts to tighten the reins on gambling promotion and protect consumers, especially youth, from potentially harmful exposure to gambling-related content. This move marks a significant extension of the role‑model ban, which has long been a cornerstone of the Netherlands’ gambling advertising framework. Licensed gambling operators are now required to immediately terminate any collaborations with influencers or streamers that promote their services.
Key Insights from the KSA’s Expanded Advertising Guidance
The KSA’s update underscores the need for operators to adapt their marketing strategies in line with the new regulations. These changes reflect an increased focus on reducing the exposure of younger audiences to gambling content. Below are the key takeaways for operators in the industry:
- Expanded scope of role-model rules: Influencers, streamers, bloggers, vloggers, and other online personalities now fall unequivocally under the “role model” ban in gambling advertising.
- Operational compliance required now: Operators must promptly cease influencer partnerships to avoid enforcement risk.
- Protecting youth engagement: The move focuses regulatory pressure on channels that most appeal to younger demographics.
- Liability remains with operators: Content creators themselves are not directly sanctioned; responsibility sits with gambling providers.
- Broader enforcement context: The clarifications come amid escalating actions against illegal promotional content and unlicensed play in the Dutch market.
KSA’s Clear Stance: Expanded Role-Model Ban and Influencer Involvement
In its February 2026 update, the KSA reiterated that the existing role-model ban applies to all forms of public figures whose presence may entice vulnerable groups into gambling activity. The regulator noted that there had been uncertainty among operators over whether certain digital creators fell under this prohibition.
Under the clarified guidance, licensed providers must terminate any ongoing collaborations with influencers, streamers, or other online personalities that have the potential to appeal to minors or young adults. The regulator emphasised that this interpretation is not limited to widely recognised influencers; reach and appeal to the target demographic are the critical criteria for classification.
Operational Impact for Gambling Operators in the Netherlands
Dutch gambling operators were instructed to review and end any influencer or streamer marketing relationships without delay. The KSA’s notice makes clear that such promotional methods run counter to the purpose of the role‑model ban, which is to curb recruitment and engagement of players through figures with outsized social influence.
This clarification dovetails with the regulator’s broader enforcement efforts: over the past year, the KSA has issued warnings and penalty orders against operators and social media figures who promoted unlicensed gambling platforms, sometimes resulting in fines and mandatory content takedowns.
How the KSA’s Updated Rules Will Affect Youth Gambling Protection Efforts
The Dutch regulator’s expanded interpretation targets marketing channels that resonate most strongly with younger audiences and vulnerable players, a priority it has repeatedly underscored in its supervisory strategy. Previous anti‑advertising measures in the Netherlands have sought to eliminate untargeted gambling ads in mainstream channels like television, radio, and billboards, measures that were designed with similar public‑health rationales.
This emphasis on consumer protection complements findings from the KSA’s own market reports, which have analysed gambling behaviour and normalisation patterns among Dutch players. The regulator has previously noted concerns about exposure to gaming content and its potential to shape attitudes toward risk and betting behaviour. This is aligned with broader insights on gambling normalisation in the Netherlands, which have shown a rising trend in the normalisation of gambling behaviour.
Enforcement Risks and Liabilities for Gambling Providers in the Netherlands
The KSA’s guidance makes it clear that licensed operators are still responsible for illegal marketing, not the influencers or streamers themselves. While individuals may be asked to remove infringing content, the onus is on gambling providers to ensure compliance with advertising restrictions.
This operator‑centric approach reflects past cases where the regulator reprimanded licensed brands, such as when an operator was told to remove influencer‑linked content due to its appeal to younger audiences.
Broader Advertising Environment in the Netherlands
The expanded role-model ban sits against a broader backdrop of advertising restrictions that the Netherlands has progressively implemented. Since mid‑2023, many forms of untargeted gambling advertising have been prohibited, including sponsorships and mainstream media placements, forcing operators to recalibrate their marketing strategies within confined legal boundaries.
This tightening of the Dutch advertising regime mirrors actions in other jurisdictions where regulators are increasingly cautious about gambling’s social footprint, particularly in platforms frequented by digital natives. Operators active in the Netherlands should integrate these developments into their compliance roadmaps and advertising governance frameworks.
The clarification by the KSA is not an isolated development but part of a broader compliance intensification in the Dutch market. In parallel to advertising rules, the regulator has taken enforcement actions against unlicensed promotional activity, including recent actions against informal channels that divert players to offshore platforms.
Looking ahead, regulated gambling providers operating in the Netherlands will need to balance promotional creativity with strict adherence to advertising norms, particularly as the KSA continues to refine its supervisory expectations and enforcement mechanisms in 2026.