Exclusive: KSA may rerun gambling blocking software tender after invalidating both bids
Gamban claims if it weren’t for “an administrative mistake” in its paperwork, the company would have been awarded the contract by the regulator in the Netherlands
The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has deemed both bids competing for the contract to provide free gambling blocking software to citizens in the country to be invalid.
EGR has learned that the KSA identified issues with both tenders submitted via the Dutch government’s official online procurement system, TenderNed.nl, and therefore chose to abandon the process.
We also understand the regulator is looking to review and adapt its tender standards before any rerun of the bidding process in light of a legal challenge brought by Gamban over the contract being provisionally awarded to registered charity BetBlocker on 3 April.
Earlier this month, the KSA withdrew this provisional award after Gamban filed a legal objection, though a summary hearing scheduled to take place in the District Court of the Hague on 11 June was cancelled because of the KSA’s U-turn on its decision.
Matt Zarb-Cousin, director of Gamban, told EGR: “Having provisionally awarded BetBlocker the contract, Gamban called on the KSA to verify the claims made by BetBlocker in its bid.
“The KSA promised to check [BetBlocker’s] bid and subsequently ruled its bid invalid. Unfortunately, we made an administrative mistake in our bid, otherwise we would have been granted the contract.
“The backgrounds of the invalidity of the two bids are therefore very different. If the tender is restarted we will not make the same administrative mistake.”
When contacted by EGR, BetBlocker trustee and founder Duncan Garvie said: “BetBlocker is obviously disappointed with the KSA’s decision to invalidate all tender submissions.
“However, we recognise the benefits of adapting the tender standards to more accurately reflect the needs of the Dutch population.
“Getting this right has the potential to impact tens of thousands of lives in the Netherlands, and we look forward to engaging with the regulator if or when they choose to reissue the tender process.”
A spokesperson for the Dutch regulator confirmed BetBlocker and Gamban had been sent letters, yet they could not confirm the tender process would be rerun “because we haven’t made a decision on that yet”.
The contract was originally put up for tender in early 2026, with a deadline of 27 March to file bids. BetBlocker and Gamban were the only two entities to compete for the contract.
The contract to allow Dutch citizens to block themselves from licensed and illegal sites was due to run for three years, plus a maximum of two extensions lasting 24 months each, which could potentially mean the agreement could last for seven years in total.
Bidders needed to submit pricing, inclusive of VAT, based on 30,000 signups per year, up to a maximum of 210,000 cumulative registrations in year seven.
The KSA stipulated that if the quoted amounts exceeded €460,000 (£399,000) per year the application would be automatically rejected.
The blocking tools, which were required to be available in multiple languages, including Dutch, English, Turkish and Arabic, needed to work across iOS and Android devices, as well as all browsers and operating systems.
The KSA funded a pilot in late 2024 that saw Gamban provide its services in the Netherlands, though the regulator hasn’t published the findings.
The latest developments in the Netherlands come after EGR exclusively revealed in April that lawyers acting for BetBlocker had contacted NHS Wales over its decision to grant Gamban the contract to provide its gambling blocking tools for free in Wales.
The legal team raised “significant concerns”, including the fact the £220,000 contract was awarded “without going through the typical process of a competitive tender”.
On the 17 June, the KSA threatened an illegal prize draw operator raffling off cars with fines of up to €450,000 for offering online games of chance in the Netherlands without a licence.
The previous week, on 11 June, the regulator handed down a €886,000 penalty to licensed operator 711 for duty of care shortcomings between 2022 and 2024.
Total registrations with the Netherlands’ self-exclusion register, Cruks, surpassed 100,000 last year.
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