TLDR The Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) found some licensed operators made it hard for players to close their accounts. Operators cannot require customers to contact customer service before an account is closed. Staff cannot use a closure request to persuade players to keep gambling. Remaining balances must be returned without unnecessary delay or extra conditions. The guidance clarifies existing rules rather than creating a new right to close an account.
The Netherlands’ gambling regulator has issued new guidance to licensed operators after finding that some made it hard for customers to close their accounts.
The Kansspelautoriteit, also known as the KSA or the Dutch Gambling Authority, published the guidance after reviewing how operators handle account closures. It found that not every licensed company was following the rules properly.
The guidance is based on a simple idea. A customer who decides to stop gambling should be able to close an account without facing extra hurdles.
According to the regulator’s findings, this has not always happened in practice.
The guidance focuses on three areas. These are how players start the closure process, how customer service handles closure requests, and how leftover funds are returned.
Customer Service Cannot Stand in the Way
Some gambling companies have required customers to contact support before an account could be closed. The KSA said this extra step should not be imposed on players.
Requiring contact with support can turn a simple exit into another conversation with the operator. The regulator wants the process to be direct.
The guidance also sets rules for when a customer chooses to reach out on their own. If a player contacts customer service or uses a chat function to request closure, staff cannot use that moment to persuade the player to keep gambling.
The request is meant to lead