Dutch Gambling Regulator Urges Operators to Halt ‘Share Your Bet’ Feature

The “Share Your Bet” feature allows players to share their placed wagers via social media platforms and messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and email. Through a shared link, recipients can view the bet and, if they hold an account with the operator, directly participate themselves.

The Ksa launched an investigation into the feature following multiple signals and questions from the market regarding its compliance with Dutch gambling legislation.

According to the regulator, while the function appears user-driven, it effectively serves as a marketing and acquisition tool. By enabling players to promote bets within their personal networks, gambling operators indirectly advertise their products without maintaining oversight of who ultimately receives the message.

Protection of Vulnerable Groups

The Ksa emphasized that the “Share Your Bet” functionality constitutes a form of advertising and recruitment activity under the Decree on Gambling Advertising, Recruitment and Addiction Prevention. This regulation requires operators to ensure that gambling advertising does not reach vulnerable groups, including minors, young adults, and individuals with gambling-related problems.

Because players themselves decide to whom they send shared bets, operators cannot control or verify the recipients. As a result, providers cannot guarantee that vulnerable groups are not exposed to gambling-related promotional content. For this reason, the Ksa stated that offering functionalities such as “Share Your Bet” is not permitted under current regulations.

The regulator also warned that the ease with which bets can be shared contributes to the normalization of gambling behavior, potentially lowering the threshold for participation—particularly among younger audiences.

Immediate Call to Cease the Feature

In light of these findings, the Ksa has urged all online gambling operators currently offering the “Share Your Bet” feature to stop using it with immediate effect. The authority noted that it will continue to monitor developments in this area and will take enforcement action where necessary to ensure the protection of vulnerable groups and compliance with Dutch gambling laws.