Netherlands regulator clarifies ban on ‘role models’ in gambling ads to include influencers and streamers.
The Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, Ksa) has clarified how the country’s existing ban on using “role models” in ads applies to digital marketing. In a letter to licensed operators, the regulator said influencers, streamers, and similar online personalities fall under the prohibition and must not be used to promote (online) games of chance. The move tightens enforcement of influencer-led acquisition in a market already shifting toward more restrictive advertising rules.
What the Ksa has said
According to the Ksa, the role-model ban is meant to protect vulnerable groups, especially minors and young adults. The regulator noted that licensees were unsure who counts as a role model and has now offered extra guidance.
In its letter to Dutch license holders, the Ksa says influencers, streamers, and comparable online figures are considered role models because young people often identify with them. As a result, they cannot be used to recommend or promote (online) games of chance. Operators have been told to end any such collaborations as soon as possible.
Scope: beyond high-profile personalities
The Ksa makes clear the ban is not just about big-name celebrities. Anyone with enough public reach to be useful for recruitment or advertising is covered, even if they’re mainly known within specific online communities. The regulator gives the following examples of role models:
- Influencers
- Bloggers and vloggers
- Streamers
- Other comparable online personalities
Under this guidance, these figures cannot be used in gambling marketing aimed at driving sign-ups or engagement.
Market implications
This clarification directly affects partner-based and content-driven acquisition in the Netherlands. Sponsoring streaming channels, paying creators for endorsements, or building campaigns around personal brands now falls squarely within the ban. Including smaller or niche creators—so long as their audience is large enough—further narrows the room for personality-led promotion, even on age-gated platforms.
The move aligns with the Netherlands’ broader tightening of gambling ad rules since the market opened, including limits on untargeted advertising. It also mirrors a wider European shift to curb influencer involvement in gambling promotion and reduce youth exposure. In practice, the ruling pushes licensed operators and their affiliates toward non-personality-based digital placements and strictly targeted, age-verified channels.
Why it matters for the online casino sector
Influencer and streamer partnerships have been a common way to reach younger adult audiences in regulated markets, especially for online casino and sportsbook brands. By confirming that both high-profile and mid-tier creators are off-limits, the Ksa reduces the usefulness of a key performance channel and heightens compliance risks around creator-led content. The guidance also clarifies what is expected of affiliates and content partners operating under or alongside Dutch licenses, reinforcing the regulator’s focus on shielding minors and young adults from gambling promotion.
Conclusion
The Ksa’s latest guidance makes it clear that influencers, streamers, and similar online personalities are considered role models and cannot be used to promote (online) games of chance in the Netherlands. The rule applies beyond well-known figures to anyone with sufficient public reach, and operators have been told to end such collaborations. The clarification tightens the country’s already restrictive advertising rules and further limits personality-driven acquisition in the Dutch market.