The Dutch gambling regulator, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has issued two formal warnings to gambling provider Optdeck, which operates in the Netherlands under the brand name Unibet. The warnings concern violations relating to untargeted advertising and the illegal offering of an autoplay feature.
Sponsorship breach
The first warning relates to a promotional vehicle used by the Unibet Tietema Rockets cycling team, which Unibet sponsors. According to the KSA, “Unibet is the sponsor of the Unibet Tietema Rockets cycling team. As part of this sponsorship, there is a tour bus displaying the Unibet logo.”
The regulator noted that the bus, intended for transporting the sports team, had also been used for other, unspecified reasons in the Netherlands. This, the KSA says, constitutes a violation of the country’s ban on untargeted gambling advertising: “This tour bus has been used in the Netherlands not only to transport the sports team but also for other purposes. This constitutes a violation of the ban on untargeted advertising.”
Optdeck responded by saying they were unaware that the bus had been used beyond its intended purpose.
“In a conversation with Optdeck, the provider indicated that they did not know the bus was also being used for other transport and that monitoring various sponsorship agreements can be complex,” .
The regulator added that immediate steps are being taken to remedy the situation. “The cycling team has been requested to stop using the bus immediately, and the bus and team vehicles will be provided with adjusted stickers without the Unibet logo.”
The timing of the warning comes just days before the upcoming total ban on sports sponsorship by online gambling providers comes into effect. From 1 July 2025, such sponsorship will no longer be permitted under Dutch law. The KSA confirmed: “Moreover, from 1 July 2025, this tour bus in its current form is not allowed on the road under any circumstances, because the ban on sports sponsorship comes into effect then.”
As KSA Chairman Michel Groothuizen recently stated: “This law was drawn up to protect young adults and other vulnerable groups. You do that by preventing them from being exposed to gambling advertising, regardless of who the advertising comes from.”
Autoplay feature
The second warning issued to Optdeck concerns the illegal use of an autoplay feature within one of Unibet’s games. The KSA explained: “The KSA also received a report about a form of autoplay in a game offered by Unibet. The BonusBuy feature, where players can automatically continue playing with purchased bonuses without having to start a new game, is prohibited because it promotes excessive play.”
The regulator prohibits autoplay functionality in online games. As the KSA has previously stated: “Autoplay functionality is only permitted if it is necessary for the continuation of a game (poker, for instance). Usually, autoplay is not necessary for a game and is therefore not allowed.”
The reasoning behind the restriction is clear. The KSA explained: “A player must consciously choose to continue playing before each subsequent game. From the perspective of consumer protection and the risk of (developing) gambling addiction, forms of automatic play on online slot machines are prohibited. With that form of play, the player no longer consciously chooses to play the next game and loses control.”
Optdeck attributed the BonusBuy violation to an external supplier, stating that after the game launched, the function was mistakenly activated by the supplier. The KSA confirmed: “It emerged from the conversation that the BonusBuy violation was also the result of an error by a third party. After the game went live, this feature was mistakenly activated by the supplier.”
The feature was only available for a short period, explained the KSA: “The feature was available for only two hours, and players who incurred losses during those two hours have been compensated.”
“In addition, measures have been taken to prevent such errors from occurring in the future,” concluded the regulator.
Responsibility lies with the operator
Despite Optdeck’s cooperation and swift action to address both issues, the KSA emphasised that operators remain fully responsible for compliance — regardless of third-party involvement. “The KSA emphasised in the conversation that the provider is responsible for properly complying with laws and regulations, even when working with third parties.”
Given the immediate corrective steps taken, the regulator has opted for a warning rather than harsher penalties — for now. “Because both violations were immediately stopped once they were noticed, the KSA is limiting the matter to a warning for now. If Optdeck makes another mistake in the future, the KSA can impose stricter sanctions.”
