A Malta-based online casino was slapped with a second fine in the space ofsix months, this time by the Dutch gambling regulator, the Times of Malta is informed.

Casumo, which came to Malta in 2013 and has its offices in Swieqi, was fined €310,000 after investigations into its operations in the Dutch market. 

According to the Dutch Gambling Authority, or KSA, Casumo offered unlicensed electronic gambling services to citizens in the Netherlands.

It was also found that it had an unlicensed online payment gateway and that the Dutch language was being used in its live chat service, a practice that violated the gaming watchdog’s rules.

The Dutch regulator said the indicated operations were illegal according to the so-called “prioritisation criteria” listed in Dutch legislation. The rules also banned the use of a Dutch web domain and identifiable typical Dutch symbols for promotion such as tulips and windmills.

In line with the Netherlands’ gaming rules, a company found to have violated the rule would be subject to a regulatory fine.

This development, industry sources pointed out, might have jeopardised Casumo’s plans to acquire a Dutch gaming licence because both the KSA and the Dutch authorities have warned that any operator that was fined or operated in an unlawful way would be barred from acquiring a licence for two years.

While accepting to pay the fine, Casumo is contesting the findings of the Dutch authorities. A spokesman said the company would in fact be filing an appeal. 

Casumo was fined €5.85 million by the UK gaming regulator in November due to social responsibility shortcomings and failure to observe anti-money laundering rules.

Two senior company officials were last year included in the UK regulator’s ‘personal licence regulatory sanction’ register. 

Swedish CEO Oscar Simonsson and money laundering reporting officer Matthew Borg Manchè were given an official warning and now risk being banned from operating in the UK in the eventuality of another infringement.

Casumo has many shareholders, mostly Swedes, but also a number of Maltese individuals.

The Malta Gaming Authority has taken a series of steps to remove the possibility of ‘shady’ operators offering services under a Maltese licence. It even withdrew the licences granted to Italian businessmen and others surrendered their licence voluntarily to avoid being subjected to investigations.