Unibet is defending itself in the Netherlands over calls for a review of its license due to allegations that it deliberately prevented customers from accessing their transaction history. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

An ongoing storm

Unibet is in the spotlight in the Netherlands over a legal challenge alleging that the Kindred Group brand “deliberately sabotaged” users. Two lawmakers called for a review of the operator’s license this week.

group of customers is now looking for compensation for their losses

Attorney Benzi Loonstine claims that Unibet prevented players from accessing account data like transaction histories. A group of customers is now looking for compensation for their losses.

The complaint alleges that the Sweden-based operator intentionally denied access to these individuals, a breach of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules, which dictate that EU citizens can legally request a platform to disclose all their personal information.

Calls for a license review

Two Dutch lawmakers who previously requested that the country’s gambling regulator conduct a review into Unibet’s license picked up on the legal case.

Christian Union’s Mirjam Bikker and the Socialist Party’s Michiel van Nispen requested that Legal Protections Minister Teun Stuckey start a probe into the operator’s actions to get to the truth.

They emphasized that Unibet significantly profited from Dutch customers when it operated in the country without a license for more than 15 years.

Defending itself

There is some precedent for claimants to get back historical losses from gambling operators in the Netherlands. The district court of The Hague ruled in August that customers can do so if their situation fits into one of four categories, even if the operator now holds a valid license. This case resulted in three plaintiffs receiving a total of €221,000 ($227,274) from Unibet.

French gambling giant Française des Jeux (FDJ) took over Kindred Group in October for €2.5bn ($2.57bn). A different owner now controls the former Trannel subsidiary that was responsible for the Unibet Dutch operations. This new owner is responsible “for all ongoing legal matters and the processing of access requests.”

The Kindred Group claims that the issue of customers not being able to access account data was because of differences in GDPR enforcement and interpretation between the Netherlands and Malta.

It also noted how legal action last year led to extensive media coverage, resulting in significant numbers of people trying to get their transaction records, which caused complications. The company said that people can always look at their own bank accounts to see their transaction history.