Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has called on licensed online operators to pull back on social betting features, as they promote gambling online in a similar way to advertising.
Several Dutch operators currently offer a Share Your Bet function via social media and messaging apps such as WhatsApp.
Links to bets can be shared with friends, families and other connections. Those who click through are able to automatically place the exact same bet with the operator via their own account.
Potential breach of advertising laws
KSA said on Wednesday it had received several messages of concern over the feature. It also said it had concerns of its own about bet sharing, as it could be seen as a form of advertising gambling, which is heavily restricted in the Netherlands.
It flagged concerns over bets being sent or marketed to young or vulnerable groups, as operators cannot control who a bet is shared with.
“It’s a way for providers to promote gambling but indirectly through players themselves,” KSA said. “Current law states providers must ensure advertising doesn’t reach vulnerable groups, such as minors, young adults, and people with gambling problems.
“Because players with the feature decide who they send their bets to, providers have no control over who receives the shared messages. This means providers cannot guarantee that vulnerable groups won’t unintentionally encounter gambling advertising. Therefore, offering features like ‘Share Your Bet’ is not permitted.”
As such, KSA urged all licensed online gambling operators to remove the feature and avoid falling foul of advertising rules. The regulator did not set a deadline for operators but did warn that it would continue to monitor the market and take enforcement action “where necessary”.
In the Netherlands, marketing and gambling advertising are very strictly regulated and the activity cannot be marketed online to those under the age of 24.
Its new coalition government said in its agreement document last week it was considering a total advertising ban for gambling, to “strengthen the duty of care of online gambling providers”.
Social aspect of online gambling
Social media proved an early catalyst for gambling across digital channels, particularly mobile betting, which gained huge traction in the 2010s and helped propel prominent brands across mature markets like the UK.
Examples of social betting in practice include Request A Bet from Sky Bet, launched on X (formerly Twitter) in January 2015. The feature began small, with the bookmaker taking requests from consumers via the site every Friday afternoon. Over the years, it grew to become one of the most popular features on Sky Bet.
Other ventures from Sky Bet included Group Betting. Punters could create a group and invite friends to join, with each player able to add a leg to an accumulator and track progress in-play.
The early success of Request A Bet saw other operators follow suit. William Hill rolled out its Your Odds product, while Paddy Power, now under the same umbrella ownership as Sky Bet, offers What Odds Paddy.
In 2018, William Hill said its Your Odds feature had generated 25% of the group’s World Cup-related gross win.
But over time as bettors have evolved, marketing regulations have tightened, and as activity across platforms like X plateaued, social betting has become less prevalent. Sky Bet’s Request A Bet feature was retired in November 2024.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/casino-games/social-gaming/dutch-licensees-drop-share-your-bet-social-features/
