Key Moments:
- Research by the Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates (KVA) reveals a growing trend of illegal gambling operators targeting minors through online platforms.
- Psychological tactics, including peer pressure and fake winnings, are used to entice young individuals, with specific campaigns such as the Back-2-School bonus aimed at students.
- Minors are reportedly able to deposit money at illegal casinos using youth bank accounts from Dutch banks, according to research from May and November 2024.
Young Audiences Targeted Through Online Channels
The Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates (KVA) reports that illegal gambling operators and their affiliates are increasingly targeting minors. These organizations rely on livestreams, social media platforms, and closed online groups to entice underage individuals to participate in unauthorized online gambling activities.
Marketing Tactics in Digital Communities
Minors encounter attractive offers in groups on Discord and Telegram, and on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These offers commonly highlight generous bonuses, cryptocurrency payment options, and exclusive promotions. Affiliates and influencers play a central role in channeling these promotions toward younger audiences.
Psychological Pressure and Deceptive Campaigns
Operators use psychological pressure tactics to persuade minors to gamble illegally. Strategies include simulating peer pressure to suggest that those who do not participate are missing out, showcasing fake large-scale winnings to present an unrealistic view of gambling success, and introducing limited-time offers intended to drive impulsive decisions. Notably, the Back-2-School bonus campaign has been singled out for targeting pupils and students directly.
| Tactic | Description |
|---|---|
| Peer Pressure | Implying exclusion for those who don’t join |
| Fake Winnings | Simulating large prizes to create misleading impressions |
| Limited-Time Campaigns | Prompting quick and impulsive participation |
Influencers and Streamers as Key Facilitators
Influencers and streamers drive this trend by showing supposed “big wins” in livestreams and sharing affiliate links to illegal casinos. These links are circulated within private chat groups, frequently accompanied by promotional messages that mislead young users with promises of rapid gains.
Ease of Access for Minors
KVA research from May and November 2024 shows minors could use youth bank accounts to deposit funds at illegal casinos. This demonstrates that such operators facilitate underage gambling, which is a direct outcome of their targeted recruitment efforts.
Risks and Regulatory Concerns
A Dutch newspaper, de Volkskrant, has highlighted the dangers facing minors who are exposed to unregulated gambling, stating: Minors can gamble without limits and without protection via illegal operators – precisely this group runs a high risk of addiction
KVA’s Call for Greater Awareness and Action
The KVA states that the purpose of its latest research is to raise awareness about the dangers posed to young people and to emphasize the need for ongoing vigilance among parents, policymakers, and regulators. The organization specifically urges these groups to stay informed and proactive in response to the growing threat.
Steven Vrolijk, representative of KVA:
“The gambling sector has, by now, become used to the large-scale presence of illegality. But cases like this, where the open recruitment of minors takes place, are still a real shock. It underlines the urgent need for cooperation in the fight against illegal operators, as is currently being done within the Alliance at the Kansspelautoriteit.”
- Author
Daniel Williams
