Today I read in the news that the Dutch Gambling Authority, has prohibited the use of role models in gambling ads. This law will take effect from June 30. The gambling industry is very regulated. Now casinos will have to get super creative and think outside the box to create captivating adverts. Also, investigations are ongoing regarding the failure of some gambling operators to check and prevent players who registered on the Cruks self-exclusion scheme from gaining access control in slot machine arcades. And they risk getting punished if they are found guilty.
Again, this begs the question. Does self-exclusion actually work? And in this case, will the gamblers be punished also for failing to take responsibility for their recovery from addiction despite registering in the self-exclusion scheme?
Bit unusual to jump from a government regulator banning a source of advertising, to whether self exclusion really works? As you say, gambling operators (or alcohol, or tobacco companies) are always looking for ways to get around existing laws and entering new sectors that might be under regulated, that's how these supposed role models seem to be the next target. It's looking like major football clubs might soon be banned from accepting betting sponsors and they reach a huge audience. After that we're likely to see a flood of celebrity endorsements while it is still available, which is likely to get regulated in most countries like the Dutch are doing now. It'll be interesting to see which companies go further "offshore" to avoid the regulation or whether they comply and lose a possibly lucrative advertising source. I guess it's the celebrity role models who would pay any penalties in this scenario..
The truth is that I am surprised that a country with so many freedoms has imposed something like this, I do not understand it, perhaps I would understand it from a country like China, Russia, Venezuela, which are clearly communist countries, but it is somewhat contradictory, however it is very difficult, because according to the inflows of money that these games show, I don't think that the bookmakers will remain with their arms crossed, they have a great business model there and it is obvious that they will look for a way to enter, perhaps with advertising that they do not be so demonstrative or use certain words that it prompts a form of fun without naming the keyword.
