The regulator contacted Holland Casino Online and Vbet after a third-party report led it to review own-goal betting offers among licensed providers. According to the KSA, Holland Casino Online and Vbet were the only licensed operators that regularly offered this type of market.
Such bets are prohibited since they are considered a form of negative match event. As KSA says, they can be more easily manipulated than regular match results or team-level betting markets.
Own-Goal Bets Cross an Integrity Line
An own goal can be tied to one person, one moment, and one specific action. This makes it unsuitable for inclusion in a regulated sportsbook environment. Under such frameworks, the operator is supposed to minimize manipulation risks, rather than create extra markets around them.
The regulator determined that Holland Casino Online and Vbet were the only licensed Dutch operators who repeatedly offered this type of market. This is significant since the case does not point to a market-wide failure. It points to a narrower product-control issue at two operators.
Operators Removed the Markets Quickly
The KSA reached out to both companies after conducting its review. Both Holland Casino Online and Vbet subsequently removed the own-goal markets and introduced new measures to prevent such markets from reappearing on their websites.
The regulator indicated that the operators had been swift in addressing the problem. As a result, the KSA deemed the matter closed and did not pursue any additional regulatory action against the companies.
Compliance Records as a Background
Both companies have been involved in separate compliance proceedings before. In particular, Vbet had earlier received a warning following a 2025 review that revealed vulnerabilities associated with anti-money laundering measures. The KSA cited deficiencies in risk assessment, transaction monitoring, and player risk profile documentation.
Holland Casino, in turn, was previously subject to a penalty payment order over links from its online gambling interface to its land-based venues. The Council of State later upheld the KSA’s position.
What the Case Signals
Sportsbook compliance no longer ends at licences, payments, and responsible gambling. In the case of the Dutch market, the format of the bets themselves also starts to matter as a regulatory test.
Niche markets may need to undergo a check on legality and integrity. A bet may seem to be just an innovation or product development aspect. However, when it targets a negative or isolated match event, it may turn out to be a regulatory problem.
