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The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has said it does not have the legal standing to take action against a betting tips website, but fears it may be breaching the spirit of gambling advertising rules.

The KSA said it is particularly concerned about the nature and success of the Analyse Master betting tip platform, but an investigation into it found no violations by licensees.

The website was subject to an investigation by journalists at Dutch outlet Pointer late last year.

The KSA’s concern stems from the tip service having so many young adult users and its use of various “role models” to advertise its services, which led to the KSA investigation being launched.

The use of role models, or celebrities, to advertise gambling in the Netherlands has been outlawed since 2022. The use of sports stars attracts particular concern.

The Analyse Master website prominently features former Dutch international footballer Wesley Sneijder in multiple bespoke ads.

However, because Analyse Master itself is not a gambling provider, the KSA said it cannot take enforcement action against the platform, so the investigation focused on the operator being promoted on its Telegram channel, according to a from the regulator on March 11.

Michel Groothuizen, chairman of the KSA board, said: “The current advertising bans apply specifically to gambling providers, and not to third parties such as Analyse Master.

“The fact that there are channels on social media that promote sports betting among young adults is a very undesirable and worrying development, because young adults are vulnerable and susceptible to gambling addiction,” he said.

Groothuizen welcomed state secretary Teun Struycken’s announcement that he wants to change gambling advertising rules so “we as a supervisory authority can also take active action against these types of parties”.

The regulator spoke with two unnamed licence holders mentioned on the Analyse Master Telegram channel and the platform; however, both ended their marketing on the channel once they became aware of the use of role models.