Does the player get a fine for an illegal online casino? The facts
A fine for the player of an illegal online casino does not exist in the Netherlands. The Gaming Authority exclusively sanctions the providers. Players do not risk legal punishment, but do run the risk of financial loss due to a lack of consumer protection, fraud, and the absence of a CRUKS connection at illegal platforms.
Legal consequences: does the player get a fine?
Players do not get fined. The Gaming Authority only fines providers. Although the Gambling Act applies strict rules, enforcement focuses exclusively on unlicensed providers, not on the user. Therefore, players do not need to fear criminal prosecution or an administrative fine, provided they are aware of the other, non-legal risks such as the lack of consumer protection.
Is playing at an illegal casino punishable?
No, under the current Gambling Act, the player is not criminally prosecuted or administratively fined. On February 28, 2023, the Gaming Authority removed the passage from its website that suggested players risked a fine or a criminal record. This change came after it appeared that illegal providers were abusing this text to intimidate users when legal action was threatened against the platform itself.
Although theoretically there could still be room in the legislation, the regulator emphasizes that Dutch players have never been fined. An administrative fine is a sanction specifically designed for organizations that violate market rules, not for consumers using the offering. The focus is on reducing the illegal circuit by tackling the source, meaning criminal prosecution of individuals does not occur in practice.
Why does the Ksa focus only on providers?
The Gaming Authority chooses an enforcement strategy aimed at removing the supply to limit the demand, rather than penalizing individual players. The regulator works together with payment providers, hosting companies, and banks to block illegal activities, instead of using police officers to search players' homes.
By means of high administrative fine amounts, such as the record fines imposed on operators like Novatech and Fortaprime, the Ksa tries to clean up the market. This approach recognizes that collecting money from offshore entities is difficult: only about 2.5% of the imposed fines are actually paid. Therefore, the strategy is shifting to 'payment blocking' and taking websites offline, which is more effective than chasing thousands of individual player accounts.
In addition, the Ministry of Justice and Security plays a crucial role in broader law enforcement and policy-making around games of chance. Although the Ksa is the primary regulator, the ministry provides the legal frameworks and cooperation with international partners to tackle criminal networks behind illegal casinos.
Is there a risk of a criminal record?
There is no question of a criminal record for players, as participation in illegal online gambling is not classified as a criminal offense for the consumer in active enforcement practice. The Gaming Authority clearly states that there are no precedents where users have been prosecuted under the Criminal Code for mere participation.
The risk for the player lies elsewhere: illegal platforms lack any form of compliance with the Gambling Act, such as age checks and CRUKS connections. Without this protection, the player runs no legal risk of a criminal record, but does run a financial and privacy-related risk due to the lack of supervision of fair play and data leaks.
Real risks for the player with illegal offers
Although a direct fine for the player of an illegal online casino is avoided, you run significant financial and personal risks. Illegal platforms operate outside Dutch supervision, meaning protection mechanisms such as CRUKS and the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act (Wwft) do not apply. Players have no right of recourse in disputes and run an increased risk of fraud, identity theft, and addiction due to the absence of mandatory limits.
No protection via CRUKS and age check
CRUKS (Central Register for Exclusion of Games of Chance) is the national register with which players can exclude themselves from legal gambling offers. With legal providers, connection to this system is mandatory, but illegal casinos completely ignore this requirement. As a result, people with a gambling addiction or gambling problems can continue to play unchecked, because self-exclusion does not technically work here.
This lack of control hits vulnerable groups hard, especially young people. Many illegal platforms barely perform effective age checks, making it relatively easy for minors to gain access to games of chance. In addition, these providers target this young target group aggressively via social media and influencers, without any responsible gaming policy or intervention in risky behavior. The lack of limit settings means that players can continue 'indefinitely', which significantly increases the chance of problematic gambling behavior.
An important tool missing here is the Target Group Policy. Legal providers are legally required to take measures to prevent vulnerable groups, such as young people and addicts, from being reached by advertising or offers. Illegal casinos do not adhere to this, leading to unwanted exposure and higher risks of harm.
Financial risks and money laundering practices
Legal casinos fall under the Wwft and are supervised by De Nederlandsche Bank, which ensures strict checks on the origin of funds. Illegal providers do not comply with this legislation, which exposes players to money laundering practices and fraud. Because these sites do not enforce identity verification, your personal data is often stored insecurely or sold, leading to risks of identity theft.
At illegal casinos, payment often takes place via methods that offer anonymity, such as Crypto. This stands in stark contrast to secure, regulated payment methods like iDEAL, which with legal providers are linked to your bank account and identity by default. The use of crypto makes it virtually impossible for players to trace or reverse transactions in case of fraud. Moreover, the protection against financial malpractices that is present with regulated payment providers is lacking.
Unreachability in disputes
When an illegal operator refuses to pay out, the player has no legal recourse whatsoever. The Gaming Authority (Ksa) acts as a market regulator, not as a consumer protector in individual disputes. Because many of these providers are established in jurisdictions outside the EU, such as Curaçao or Costa Rica, bringing a claim before a Dutch court is often out of the question.
This means that winnings can simply be withheld without the player being able to file a complaint with an independent body such as the Advertising Code Committee. Even when the Ksa imposes high fines, this remains without consequence for the individual player: more than 97.5% of the imposed fines are actually not paid by the offshore operators. The player is left with the loss, without any mechanism for compensation or mediation.
Enforcement: record fines and penalties
The Gaming Authority enforces the law by imposing heavy sanctions on operators that target the Dutch market without a license. Although a direct fine for a player of an illegal online casino is not applicable, these measures do affect the availability of platforms. The regulator imposes million-euro fines on companies such as Novatech and Fortaprime to reduce illegal offers and protect players from unsafe environments.
In addition to fines, the Ksa also uses an Order subject to periodic penalty payments. This is an administrative law instrument where the offending party must pay an amount as long as the violation continues, for example, as long as the website remains accessible to Dutch IP addresses. This forces operators to take action faster than a one-off fine that might only be collected after years.
The record fine of almost 25 million euros
Novatech Solutions, an offshore operator behind websites like Qbet.com and 55Bet.com, received a record fine of € 24,846,000 in March 2024. This record fine is the highest sanction the Gaming Authority has ever imposed on a single entity for offering games of chance without a Dutch license. The size of the amount reflects the seriousness of the violation: Novatech actively targeted Dutch players while guaranteeing no form of consumer protection or age verification.
From a compliance perspective, this case illustrates why players must be careful with platforms that facilitate anonymous payments. Novatech completely ignored the duty of care, leading to this historic sanction. For the player, this means that money deposited on such sites enjoys no legal protection whatsoever, since the operator deliberately bypassed Dutch legislation.
Sanctions against Fortaprime and Betent
In addition to Novatech, the regulator is also tackling other international players. Fortaprime SRL, owner of Amonbet among others, was fined € 1,795,000 for similar violations. The company operated multiple sites, such as amonbet101.com and hiddenjack.com, which were accessible to Dutch residents without a local license.
Betent also came into the sights of the Gaming Authority. This company was sanctioned because it violated the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act (Wwft) and targeted advertising at young people. This targeted marketing to minors is considered a major violation by the regulator. The sanctions against Fortaprime and Betent show that the Ksa not only looks at the lack of a license, but also at the integrity of business operations and the protection of vulnerable groups.
Problem of unpaid fines
A critical point in enforcement is the collection of these sanctions. Many foreign operators, such as MKC Limited, operate from jurisdictions outside the direct reach of the Dutch government, such as Curaçao or Malta. As a result, a large proportion of the imposed fines remains unpaid: figures show that over 97.5% of the fines imposed on illegal casinos are not collected.
To counter this, the Gaming Authority works with banks and payment providers to block transactions to these parties. This 'payment blocking' is often more effective than collecting money after the event. For players, this is an important signal: if a casino like the one from MKC Limited is difficult to reach via regular payment methods, that is an indication of their illegal status and the associated risk of losing deposits.
How do you recognize a safe and legal casino?
A fine for the player of an illegal online casino is rare in practice, but playing on unlicensed sites brings enormous risks. Legal providers can be recognized by the Ksa logo and a valid license. Players at illegal platforms lack any form of consumer protection and run financial risk due to unreliable payouts.
Check the Ksa register and logo
The Gaming Authority (Ksa) keeps a public register of all license holders. A legal casino always displays the 'Vergunninghouder Kansspelautoriteit' logo with a clickable link to this register in the footer of the website. By verifying the license number here, you determine whether the operator is under Dutch supervision. Illegal sites are missing from this register and often operate from jurisdictions where enforcement is difficult, meaning that fines imposed by the Ksa are rarely paid.
Presence of well-known brands
Brands like Holland Casino, TOTO, and Unibet operate under strict Dutch licenses and comply with the target group policy. These parties are obliged to carry out age verification and offer tools against gambling addiction, unlike illegal providers who ignore this duty of care. International giants like Bet365 must also adhere to the Gambling Act to be legally active in the Netherlands. If a well-known brand is not in the Ksa register, it offers no guarantees for Dutch players and risks high sanctions, as occurred previously with other large operators.
Transparency in bonuses and terms
Legal casinos adhere to the Advertising Code Committee rules, while illegal sites often offer misleading bonuses without clear wagering requirements. With licensed providers, promotions are transparent and winnings fall under the protection of Dutch legislation. Illegal platforms use aggressive marketing via social media, often targeting vulnerable groups, and do not offer clear terms for withdrawals. Always choose a provider where the terms of play and bonus rules are fully transparent before you deposit.
About This Article - Editorial Standards
📝 Drafted by: Sarah Weber (Casino Tester & Bonus Analyst)
🔍 Verified by: Dr. Markus Hoffmann (Senior iGaming Compliance Analyst)
📅 Finalized: 2026-08-26.
This article on "fine for player of illegal online casino" was written by Sarah Weber and factually reviewed by Dr. Markus Hoffmann. Both regularly update the content for changes in regulation, licensing and bonus terms. All references to licences, regulators and statutes link to public sources (the local gambling regulator, the applicable local gambling statute).
About the Author
8+ years reviewing casinos, 200+ personally tested platforms across the EU and globally. Former member of the eCOGRA Player Advocacy Program (2018-2022). Specialty: wagering requirements, withdrawal workflows, customer-support evaluation.
About the Reviewer
12+ years in the iGaming industry, including 5 years as a compliance consultant for licensed operators across multiple regulated markets. PhD in Economic Mathematics. Focus areas: bonus mathematics, wagering analysis, and player-protection systems.
Responsible Gambling
Gambling can be addictive. If you feel you are losing control of your play, please reach out to the relevant problem-gambling helpline or use the national self-exclusion register (the relevant national self-exclusion register). Set personal deposit and loss limits BEFORE you play with real money. Operator pauses and cooldown tools exist to keep play sustainable.
Legal Notice
The information in this article is provided for editorial and comparison purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Players are responsible for compliance with local regulations.