The Dutch Gaming Authority (Ksa) is intensifying its oversight of online gambling in the country by targeting features that allow players to share bets via social media and messaging apps. Licensed operators are being urged to remove the “Share your bet” function, which enables users to send wagers to friends or family, who can then place identical bets if they hold an account with the same platform.
The regulator initiated this review after receiving multiple inquiries and market signals about the functionality. According to the Ksa, the feature operates as an indirect form of gambling promotion. “It’s a way for providers to promote gambling but indirectly through players themselves,” the authority 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.”
Operators offering this function must discontinue it immediately. While no formal deadline has been set, the Ksa indicated that it will continue monitoring compliance and take enforcement measures where necessary. The regulator emphasizes that easy bet-sharing can normalize gambling behavior, particularly for younger audiences, raising concerns about accessibility and exposure.
Lessons from social betting history
Social betting features emerged in the 2010s as gambling operators sought to leverage social media and mobile platforms. Sky Bet’s “Request A Bet” on X (formerly Twitter) allowed users to submit and share their bets, eventually expanding to “Group Betting,” which let multiple players contribute to accumulators and track results collectively. William Hill’s “Your Odds” and Paddy Power’s “What Odds Paddy” followed similar models, with William Hill reporting that 25% of its World Cup-related gross win in 2018 came from user-submitted wagers.
Over time, stricter marketing rules and changes in social media engagement reduced the prevalence of these features. Sky Bet retired “Request A Bet” in November 2024, marking a shift away from social betting tools.
Sports sponsorship oversight
Beyond online platforms, the Ksa is strengthening cooperation with sports associations to enforce the ban on untargeted gambling advertising. Following letters to clubs and associations, the regulator noted compliance in most cases but identified isolated breaches during international competitions, such as banners from unlicensed providers appearing during Ajax vs. Internazionale and Go Ahead Eagles vs. Stuttgart matches. Clubs were reminded of the need for careful oversight of sponsor branding in broadcasts and stadium displays.
The Ksa highlighted positive compliance examples as well. Olympiacos Piraeus wore shirts without foreign gambling logos during a CEV Cup match against Draisma Dynamo in Apeldoorn, while the KNVB coordinated with clubs for the AZ vs. Jagiellonia Białystok game, ensuring that gambling logos were replaced with non-gambling score website branding.
The authority will continue its active monitoring and consultations with sports associations, maintaining its focus on protecting vulnerable groups and ensuring that the Dutch sports and online gambling environments remain free from illegal or untargeted gambling promotion.
Source:
“The Dutch Gaming Authority calls on providers to stop using the ‘Share your bet’ function”, kansspelautoriteit.nl, February 4, 2026
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