Winning Poker Network hit with €1,275,000 fine by Netherlands regulator

The Netherlands' online-gambling regulator, de Kansspellautoriteit (Ksa), has levied a fine of €1,275,000 against the Winning Poker Network (WPN) over the continued availability of one of its online-poker skins, TruePoker.eu, to the country's residents.

The €1,275,000 fine is the latest salvo by the Dutch Ksa to boot the WPN from its online sphere in a battle that has gone on for roughly three years. The Winning Poker Network and its flagship site Americas Cardroom (now ACR Poker) were among numerous gambling sites and networks targeted by the Ksa following the enactment of a new and stringent iGaming regulatory framework in late 2021.

While the WPN and Americas Cardroom adhered to the letter of the Ksa's demand in 2022 to withdraw from the Dutch market, the Ksa's investigators discovered that a second WPN site not mentioned initially remained available to Dutch players: TruePoker. That resulted in a cease-and-desist order issued to the WPN in March of 2023, followed by the levying of a maximum €75,000 fine three months later.

In a statement issued at the time, the Ksa noted that despite not offering Dutch-language support, TruePoker and WPN had not added the Netherlands to its list of blocked jurisdictions. The site also continued to offer online deposits and withdrawals via the Netherlands-based iDEAL online-payment network, one of numerous options available to players.

Tuesday's declaration included significant larger fine

The issue of a WPN online-poker site remaining available to players in the Netherlands then dropped off the game's radar until yesterday's statement from the Ksa. It is not clear, though it seems unlikely, that the Ksa ever succeeded in collecting the €75,000 fine it first levied 18 months ago. Instead, the issue has festered as the Netherlands, one of the world's strictest and most aggressive online regulators, continues to pursue perceived violators.

The Ksa reached its decision to levy the enhanced fine on December 17, 2024 according to supporting documents, and the Winning Poker Network retains the right to appeal the fine.

According to Ksa chairman Michel Groothuizen, "A penalty payment order is an effective way to quickly take illegal supply off the air. However, these types of parties should not think that they will get off easy with this, so we also impose fines for the violation committed. In doing so, we hit them where it really hurts, namely in their wallets."