Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Insufficient Oversight Exposes Gamblers to Danger –
An assessment of due diligence practices for Dutch online gambling permit holders indicates that players are susceptible to “grave harm” due to the inability of all operators to monitor gambling patterns in real-time.
Home > Sustainable Gambling > Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Insufficient Oversight Exposes Gamblers to Danger of “Grave Harm”
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Insufficient Oversight Exposes Gamblers to Danger of “Grave Harm”
The investigation, carried out by the Dutch gambling authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), analyzed ten online gambling license holders, contingent on their active status for at least six months prior to June 1, 2022. The investigation scrutinized how these operators implemented due diligence policies.
The regulatory body requested the ten operators to furnish information regarding player monitoring, internal procedures, player data, and addiction prevention strategies. Based on this data, the distribution of losses and gaming time was examined.
However, this data did not provide the KSA with sufficient information, prompting the KSA to request each license holder to provide two player profiles. The KSA requested that each license holder provide a player profile of a young adult and a player profile of an adult aged 24 or older.
Potential “Grave Harm”
As a significant portion of the investigation focused on confidential business data, the KSA was unable to disclose specific information about its findings, instead opting to generate a report based on the data.
Supervisory bodies have encountered challenges in comparing permit holders due to variations in policies, structure, and execution.
Supervisory bodies emphasize that participants “could experience substantial financial setbacks within a brief timeframe” because not all operators possess the capability to track gambling patterns in real-time. The KSA has observed that permit holders employ diverse approaches to monitor gambling behavior. These methods originate from internal or external organizations. Some operators utilize risk assessment systems that determine the probability of risk based on specific indicators. Machine learning is occasionally employed to achieve this objective.
Supervisory bodies state that risk scores are typically computed daily for each participant. Other operators utilize triggers, which fluctuate for each participant. The KSA has discovered that real-time monitoring varies among operators. However, it has added that most permit holders utilize fixed limits that are monitored and calculated multiple times daily. According to operators, “this enables near real-time monitoring.”
The Netherlands recently advocated for enhanced gambling safety, enacting a prohibition on most forms of advertising in July. This ban encompasses advertising on television, radio, and printed materials, as well as in public areas.
All operators involved in the investigation deemed young individuals to be a susceptible group. Although the law does not mandate stricter limitations on young people, all licensees examined, with the exception of one, have implemented these restrictions.
The Netherlands Gaming Authority (KSA) has indicated that younger adults might be less noticeable in gambling behavior surveillance. This is because they haven’t reached the established loss limits and thus haven’t crossed certain thresholds.
This has led to less intervention for young adults. The KSA added that some operators have taken additional measures for individuals aged 24 to 30.
**Subsequent Actions**
According to the report, the KSA stated it will strengthen its own due diligence policies and propose legislative changes to the Ministry of Justice and Security.
The regulatory body added that relevant operators have requested “a more consistent interpretation or explanation of certain standards to create a more even playing field and ensure they all follow the same regulations.”
The Dutch Online Gaming Association (NOGA) has taken note of the KSA report’s due diligence inconsistencies. It added that it supports the regulator’s suggestions to the Ministry of Justice.
“The KSA’s examination of due diligence interpretations by ten licensed providers reveals that there are too many disparities in how the providers examined conduct due diligence in this new market,” the NOGA statement read.
“Therefore, the KSA is tightening its policies and making recommendations to the Ministry of Justice and Security to clarify legislation and regulations. NOGA supports these recommendations.”
NOGA has been advocating for uniform and clear guidelines that all authorized service providers must adhere to when delivering their services. This would enhance consumer protection and provide unambiguous direction for providers.”
Sign up for the iGaming newsletter.