Dutch Court Cuts Casino Zoetermeer’s Cruks Fine to €21,500
The Netherlands Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), published an enforcement decision against Casino Zoetermeer after the land-based operator admitted two self-excluded players to its gaming hall. The Ksa opened its investigation in 2022, following complaints from the affected players.
In its original decision, the Ksa imposed a €25,000 fine. The court reduced the payable amount to €21,500 because the enforcement proceedings had taken too long. The court rejected Casino Zoetermeer’s substantive grounds of appeal, and the Ksa can now publish the decision, dated 20 July 2026.
Two Excluded Players Entered the Gaming Hall
Two player complaints submitted in 2022 triggered the case. According to the Ksa, its investigation found that Casino Zoetermeer had failed to identify and verify visitors adequately before it conducted the required Cruks checks.
As a result, the operator admitted two people who were registered in the Netherlands’ Central Register for Exclusion from Gambling, known as Cruks or Gokstop. Their registration should have blocked their entry to the gaming hall.
Under Dutch rules, operators that offer online gambling or higher-risk land-based gambling must check every customer against Cruks before they grant access. The requirement covers licensed online operators, slot machine arcades and casinos.
Around 118,000 people were registered with Cruks at the time of the Ksa’s announcement. Players can enrol voluntarily to block their access to licensed gambling products and reduce the risk of gambling-related harm.
Court Leaves Enforcement Findings Intact
Casino Zoetermeer initially secured an interim court order that blocked publication of the penalty. It later challenged the regulator’s rejection of its objections.
Judges dismissed the operator’s arguments against the substance of the case. However, the court ruled that the reasonable period for the proceedings had been exceeded, and it reduced the fine by €3,500.
According to the Ksa, licensed operators must carry out Cruks checks correctly because excluded players rely on the register to stop them from gambling. The regulator added that it will continue to monitor compliance and issue penalties where operators fail to enforce exclusion controls.
💡TGJ Take
The reduction to €21,500 does not weaken the compliance message, because the court left the Ksa’s findings intact. Dutch land-based operators should treat identity verification and Cruks screening as one control, not two separate front-desk tasks. A successful database query offers little protection if staff have not confirmed the visitor’s identity first. Operators should also keep clear access records, since player complaints can trigger enforcement years after the original incident.
