Dutch gambling watchdog warns BetMGM over underage role model in gambling ad
The Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, or KSA) has issued a formal warning to online gambling operator BetMGM after an advertorial featuring 17-year-old Spanish football star Lamine Yamal appeared on a major Dutch news platform—an action that contravenes the country’s strict advertising rules.
The KSA stated that BetMGM violated Dutch gambling law by featuring an underage role model in a promotional campaign. The law prohibits gambling advertisements from using role models altogether and mandates additional protections to shield minors and vulnerable populations from gambling-related content.
“This kind of advertising is harmful,” said the KSA in its . “Violations of the advertising ban are taken seriously, particularly when they involve underage individuals.”
Brief appearance, but serious breach
The controversial advertorial, though online only briefly, drew immediate regulatory attention. It was produced and published by the editorial staff of the news website, and its content included both imagery and references to Yamal. While the ad was not created directly by BetMGM, the operator remains responsible under Dutch law for outsourced promotional activities.
A media company affiliated with BetMGM discovered the issue and flagged it internally. However, BetMGM failed to notify the KSA, despite being legally obligated to report such incidents that may endanger consumer welfare.
The regulator chose to issue a warning rather than impose fines, citing BetMGM’s swift response in removing the ad and taking steps to prevent future violations. Still, the KSA mentioned that this does not absolve operators from their legal obligations.
“Even if the error was committed by a partner, the license holder is still accountable,” the KSA warned. “Operators must report incidents immediately, regardless of any internal investigations underway.”
Industry-wide scrutiny grows
The incident comes as the KSA stepped up enforcement of advertising rules. BetMGM is among several operators, like 711 and Betca, that have been warned in recent times for gambling promotional rule infractions.
The popularity of underage characters in gambling advertising is especially worrying for the regulator, as it has the effect of making gambling a normalised activity among young people and negating overall efforts at responsible marketing.
This new warning also comes just weeks before a critical regulatory deadline: the July 1 expiration of the online gambling sports sponsorship transitional period. From that date, operators will no longer be permitted to sponsor:
- Individual athletes
- Sports clubs or teams
- Sporting events or leagues
- Branding on sportswear or equipment
This phase follows the July 2023 ban on untargeted gambling ads in public spaces, part of the Dutch government’s wider initiative to limit the visibility of gambling in everyday life.
What’s next?
As the July deadline looms, industry insiders expect the KSA to intensify its oversight, with less tolerance for compliance failures—especially involving marketing to or around minors. The BetMGM warning may be a sign of things to come for operators that misjudge the increasingly tight regulatory environment in the Netherlands.
For gambling providers active in the Dutch market, the message is clear: marketing missteps—no matter how brief or indirectly executed—can lead to public censure, regulatory action, and increased scrutiny in an already challenging landscape.
