The Dutch Gaming Authority (Ksa) has issued a warning to Smart Gaming, provider of online gambling under the brand name Betnation, because no checks were carried out for a number of players between January and March 2026 in the Cruks exclusion register, also known as the Gambling Stop.

This allowed these players to gamble online without checking whether they were registered in Cruks.

Providers of online games of chance are obliged to check whether a player is in Cruks before participating. People who are registered in Cruks are not allowed access to legal online gambling, slot machine halls and casinos in the Netherlands. With a Gambling Stop, people can protect themselves against gambling damage. At the moment there are about 118,000 people in Cruks.

Betnation has reported the incident to the Ksa itself and has taken measures to remedy the problem and prevent a recurrence. In addition, it has financially compensated the players involved. The provider has also indicated that it will work with responsible gaming partners to see what additional support can be offered to these players, for example in the form of help, care or a course. Because of the measures taken, the Ksa now chooses to issue a warning.

The Ksa expects all providers to carry out Cruks checks correctly. Providers are responsible for a well-functioning control system and must immediately identify and solve technical problems. The Ksa will continue to monitor this closely.