The Netherlands’ minister for legal protections, Sander Dekker, has responded to reports in the Dutch press criticising the promotion of Nederlandse Loterij on the website of the mental health charity, Mind.
According to Focus Gaming News, Dekker has asked the Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) to investigate the promotion of the Dutch national lottery and the specific charity lottery, Vriendenloteri, on Mind’s official website.
Two Christian Union Party MPs, Mirrijam Bikker and Pieter Grinwis, both raised concerns over the promotions, which could break regulation standards in the Netherlands.
The MPs called upon the government to intervene on the matter after the local outlet Follow the Money reported the promotions.
In response, Dekker told FGN that the KSA should look into the activity: “I can imagine it at least raises questions as to why an organisation that aims to improve mental health and support people with mental health problems and their families promotes lottery buying on their website and connects it directly to mental health.
“It is not the case that government policy for the lottery is to encourage as many people as possible to gamble. The Dutch Lottery should be able to advertise to get players to the legal offering.”
Nederlandse Loterij is one of 10 operators to be given a license to operate online under the terms of the newly formed KOA Regime which opened on October 1. The regime contains strict rules to protect users from gambling harms and includes several restrictions on advertising.
Meanwhile, Mind has since removed the promotion of both lotteries from its website after the criticism.