Fake lottery in the Netherlands: how to check the licence and organiser

A familiar name and a document displayed on a website can lower your guard. The latest warning from the Dutch Kansspelautoriteit shows why it is worth checking both the organiser and the website address before making a payment. We have prepared a short guide to independent verification for readers in the Netherlands.

What happened in the Netherlands?

In a statement dated 2 October 2026, the Ksa announced that it had revoked a lottery permit issued in the name of the Quick Boys football club in Katwijk. An unknown person obtained it by impersonating the club's chairman, then used it to offer lottery tickets online.

Quick Boys did not organise this lottery and was itself a victim of identity theft. The regulator tightened checks on applicants' identities and domains and reported the case to the police. The Ksa warns against providing personal or bank details on the websites identified in its statement. Read the official Ksa warning.

Where can you check a permit independently?

The Ksa directs consumers to Kansspelwijzer — the official directory of organisations authorised to offer gambling in the Netherlands. You can search by name and use filters. Access the directory through the regulator's website rather than relying solely on a link sent by the seller.

Our editorial principle is simple: compare the details, not just the appearance of a document. The organiser's name, the website you have reached and the activity being offered should be consistent. If you cannot verify something, hold off on paying and request an explanation through an independent channel.

Four questions before sharing your details

1. Where did the message come from? Check whether you expected to hear from this organisation at all. A correct name in a message does not prove authenticity — Fraudehelpdesk notes that scammers may know details from earlier data breaches.
2. Where does the link lead? On a computer, hover over the link to see its destination without opening it. Compare the address with the organiser's official channel. A clear logo and polished graphics do not replace this check.
3. Is someone rushing you? A demand for an immediate response is a warning sign. Allow yourself time to check; an attractive offer should not prevent you from asking questions.
4. Am I checking outside the offer itself? Open the Ksa directory and contact the organisation using an address or telephone number found on its official channel. Do not rely only on the number in a suspicious message.

Our guidance on messages draws on Fraudehelpdesk's guide to recognising phishing. These questions are our practical arrangement of that guidance, not a safety certificate for any particular website.

Have you paid or shared your details?

In this specific case, the Ksa recommends contacting your bank about the possibility of reversing a payment and reporting the matter to the police. This does not guarantee a refund. Keep messages, the website address and the transaction confirmation so you can describe the situation accurately.

Fraudehelpdesk helps you identify the right institution and limit the consequences of fraud. An online report must be submitted through the form on its website; an ordinary email is not accepted as a report.

You can also report a gambling-related issue directly to the Ksa. The regulator uses reports in its supervisory work and investigations into recurring problems. However, it does not mediate individual disputes or promise a personal response to every report. These channels serve different purposes, so a report to the regulator should not replace a conversation with your bank.

What does this mean for readers?

Our editorial conclusion is that three things need to be distinguished: the document shown in an offer, the identity of the person or company behind it and current information from an independent source. This is also a useful habit when reading service profiles: open the source, check its date and identify which details are confirmed and which remain declarations.

This article describes an incident and reporting channels in the Netherlands. Readers elsewhere should use their relevant local regulator; the Dutch directory does not establish authorisation to operate everywhere.

Sources and verification date

• Ksa: warning about the lottery and Quick Boys — statement dated 2 October 2026.
• Ksa: Kansspelwijzer — the official route for checking permits.
• Ksa: questions and reports — the regulator's remit.
• Fraudehelpdesk: suspicious messages — guidance on phishing.
• Fraudehelpdesk: reporting fraud — the correct contact channel.

Sources checked on 4 October 2026. Facts are attributed to the institutions cited; the checklist and conclusions were prepared by the Radio Sloty editorial team.