Ksa warns Betnation after missing Cruks checks

(PRESS RELEASE) -- The Dutch Gaming Authority has issued a warning to Smart Gaming, an online gambling provider under the brand name Betnation, because no checks were performed for a number of players in the Cruks exclusion register, also known as the Gokstop, between January and March 2026. As a result, these players were able to gamble online without it being checked whether they were registered in Cruks.

Cruks inspection
Providers of online gambling are required to check whether a player is listed in Cruks before allowing participation. People registered in Cruks are not allowed access to legal online gambling, slot machine halls, and casinos in the Netherlands. With a Gambling Stop, people can protect themselves against gambling harm. Currently, there are approximately 118,000 people listed in Cruks.

Technical error
Betnation has indicated that, due to a technical error, Cruks checks were not performed for a number of players. After the error was discovered, Betnation manually checked which players might have been affected. It turned out that, for a small group of players, it could no longer be determined with certainty retrospectively whether they were registered in Cruks during this period. Some of these players gambled during this period. It has been confirmed for one player that they were registered in Cruks and were still able to participate in games of chance.

The Ksa considers it highly reprehensible that the Cruks checks were not carried out. Players who register themselves in Cruks do so to protect themselves and must be able to assume that, as a result, they cannot gamble at licensed providers.

Measures
Betnation reported the incident to the Ksa itself and took measures to remedy the problem and prevent recurrence. In addition, it financially compensated the affected players. The provider also indicated that it will explore, together with partners in the field of responsible gaming, what additional support can be offered to these players, for example in the form of assistance, care, or a course. Due to the measures taken, the Ksa has now chosen to issue a warning.

The Ksa expects all providers to carry out Cruks checks correctly. Providers are themselves responsible for a properly functioning control system and must immediately report and resolve technical problems. The Ksa will continue to closely monitor this.