N1 Disputes €12.6 Million Fine From Dutch Regulator
A Malta-based online gaming firm, N1, has firmly refuted a €12.6 million penalty levied by Dutch authorities. The company asserts it has implemented measures to hinder Dutch players from accessing its online casino offerings and disagrees with the regulator’s evaluation of the circumstances. N1 intends to challenge the decision in court.
The hefty €6 million penalty is among the most substantial fines ever levied by the regulatory body.
N1 stated in a formal announcement: “Moreover, N1 contends that the KSA has employed an inaccurate and unjustified calculation method to determine the amount of the fine, rendering it excessive, which clashes with the legal foundation in Dutch law for imposing and computing fines.”
The KSA asserted that the total fine was a consequence of this being the second instance where the operator has been subject to enforcement action by the authority. In 2021, N1 was penalized €500,000 by the organization for providing unlawful gambling services to Dutch users without a license.
The penalty is not yet definitive as N1’s appeal is ongoing. N1 had requested the regulator to postpone the decision, but this request was rejected.
“At this juncture, N1 firmly believes that the KSA’s actions exert pressure on N1’s current circumstances in administrative and judicial proceedings,” the online gambling operator stated.
“N1 will furnish evidence to appeal the fine and question its legality and fairness, which is exorbitant considering other sanctions imposed by the KSA on other operators in the past.”
Videoslots
N1 is not the sole operator to contest the fine. In a statement published on its website prior to the fine’s announcement, Videoslots declared that it would challenge the ruling.
Videoslots was penalized €9 million.
Online gaming platform Videoslots was slapped with an €8 million penalty by Dutch authorities. The reason? A momentary glitch on their website displayed the Saudi Arabian flag, a country prohibited from accessing the site.
Following the error, regulators attempted to sign up as a customer on Videoslots but were unsuccessful. However, Videoslots maintains that Saudi Arabia managed to gain access by posing as a German user.
Ulle Skottling, Videoslots’ second-in-command, stated: “Videoslots does not target the Netherlands, but restricts access to it, meaning Dutch gambling regulations do not apply to our services. During the dispute, Dutch users were unable to access our platform, so no infringement occurred.
“It’s nonsensical that Saudi Arabia is imposing a fine on us after gaining unauthorized entry. It’s impossible to completely block unauthorized access, and Saudi Arabia lacks clear guidelines on what security measures are sufficient.”
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