Dutch Casino Fined for Cruks System Failure

The Netherlands’ gaming regulator, known as the KSA, issued a penalty of €45,000 (approximately $49,500) to Merkur Casino for violating regulations related to the Cruks program. Cruks acts as a safeguard for individuals in the Netherlands battling gambling problems, allowing them to register and be barred from all casinos, wagering platforms, and similar establishments.

In February 2022, an individual registered with Cruks to restrict their gambling access gained entry to Merkur Casino in Almere nine times over a period of nearly two weeks. Casino personnel are obligated to verify every patron against the Cruks database, but a malfunction occurred. When attempting to locate this specific individual within the system, an error message appeared, preventing confirmation of their presence on the list and resulting in their admittance. The KSA expressed dissatisfaction with this oversight, emphasizing that casinos bear the responsibility of ensuring the Cruks system’s proper functionality.

A gambling establishment in the Netherlands was recently penalized €45,000 for permitting a visibly compulsive player to access and engage in games on nine distinct instances. The employees of the establishment should have identified the individual’s issue and refused him admittance, but they neglected to take such action.