Unibet brand flagged for untargeted promotions and regulatory breaches on gameplay automation
Advertising Misstep: Unibet Branded Coach Sparks Regulatory Reprimand
The Netherlands’ gambling regulator, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has issued two official warnings to Optdeck, the licensed operator behind Unibet, citing violations of national advertising laws and product regulation. One warning concerns an incident involving non-targeted advertising, a growing point of scrutiny in the Netherlands’ tightly regulated gambling market.
Unibet, which is also a sponsor of the cycling team Unibet-Tietema Rockets, found itself in breach of advertising rules when a team-branded coach was spotted operating outside of its designated sporting context. Under Dutch law, gambling-related marketing must remain highly targeted and avoid public spaces that could expose the content to vulnerable audiences.
Although Optdeck stated that it was unaware of the vehicle’s misuse, the KSA maintained that ultimate responsibility lies with the operator. In response, the coach has been withdrawn from public roads for non-sporting use, and plans are underway to remove or cover all Unibet branding.
Autoplay Breach: BonusBuy Feature Briefly Activated
The second regulatory infraction involves a temporary reactivation of the autoplay functionality within Unibet’s platform—a feature explicitly banned under Dutch gambling legislation. The BonusBuy feature, which allowed users to continue play automatically after purchasing bonuses, was mistakenly enabled for a two-hour window.
Optdeck explained that the activation was the result of an error by a third-party software provider, rather than an intentional deployment. Despite its brief duration, the feature violates the Netherlands’ Remote Gambling Act (KOA), which seeks to minimise compulsive play by requiring manual interaction for each gameplay action.
Upon discovering the issue, Optdeck disabled the feature and reimbursed affected players. The operator has since introduced stricter internal checks and controls to prevent a recurrence.
Regulatory Landscape: Strict Standards and Operator Accountability
The KSA’s decision to issue warnings—rather than financial penalties—was influenced by Optdeck’s swift remediation and cooperation. However, the authority made clear that future violations could result in harsher sanctions, such as fines or licence reviews.
This development comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny in the Netherlands, where the KSA is working to ensure operator compliance following the release of a national study into problem gambling. That report highlighted weak operator-led interventions as a key systemic failure, placing further pressure on providers to enforce safeguards proactively.
Looking Ahead: Operator Risk and Compliance Demands
For Optdeck and other licensees, these warnings underscore the need for constant diligence across marketing, technology, and third-party vendor management. The Dutch market—often seen as a model for balanced regulation—demands both transparency and technical rigour in service delivery.
The KSA’s response signals a clear direction: operators must go beyond reacting to infractions and implement robust systems of preventive governance. As the regulator continues to build its case law and refine enforcement strategy, operators like Optdeck will need to demonstrate not just compliance, but a culture of proactive responsibility.
