888's Return to the Netherlands Market Faces Regulatory Warning
888's reentry into the Netherlands iGaming market has encountered a significant setback. The country's gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has issued a warning citing "poor customer service accessibility" as a major concern.
High Volume of Player Complaints
The operator, managed locally by ComeOn Group's Godwits Limited, resumed operations in July 2025. The KSA reported an exceptionally high number of player reports indicating that customer service was either unavailable or extremely difficult to reach. Additionally, issues arose with welcome bonuses not being automatically credited to players.
Regulatory Requirements and Operator Response
Under Dutch licensing rules, operators must provide Dutch-language customer support to handle queries and uphold duty-of-care standards. Godwits attributed the problems to an unexpected surge in live chat requests post-launch, leading to long wait times. In response, the company has hired more staff and fixed a technical glitch that prevented some players from receiving their welcome bonuses. Affected individuals have been compensated, and the KSA confirmed receiving multiple reports on these issues.
Strengthening Oversight and Future Implications
This warning coincides with the KSA's plans to enhance oversight of how operators influence player behavior, based on research from Behavioural Insights Nederland. An upcoming report will analyze behavioral techniques used by online gambling platforms and could result in stricter duty-of-care guidelines.
Michel Groothuizen, Chair of the KSA, stated:
"At the KSA, we understand that online providers, like other commercial companies, monitor what users do on their platforms and how they can influence that to their advantage. Thanks to this research, we have a better understanding of how they do this and can also provide more guidance on negative influence and things we no longer want to see."
Emphasis on Player Protection and Compliance
The incident highlights the regulator's focus on player protection and ensuring operators meet accessibility standards, especially for Dutch-speaking users. As behavioral research informs new regulations, online operators in the Netherlands may face tighter rules to curb negative influences on gambling behavior.
Godwits clarified that the issues were technical and logistical, not intentional, and emphasized ongoing efforts to improve customer support responsiveness and achieve full compliance with KSA requirements. This early challenge for 888's renewed operations underscores the critical need for robust support systems and regulatory adherence in the closely monitored Dutch iGaming market.
Source: iGaming Expert
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