Online casino operators in the Netherlands have received a warning from the regulatory body Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) about the use of autoplay features.
The reminder was issued after the KSA received a report from a player who was able to use autoplay on an online slot machine at an unidentified operator; this practice is prohibited under Dutch law.
Customers of the site could buy multiple spins on slot machines that ran one after the other, with the game being repeatedly restarted while players had "spin credit" left.
The regulator's investigation found that at least three slot machines on the operator's site supported the feature.
After the report was published, the COA conducted a study that found that it did occur at least three online slot machines.
The license holder has now disabled the feature in its offerings and has updated all online casino bonus slot machines with forms of automatic play.
"The player must make a conscious choice for each subsequent game to continue playing," the regulator explained.
"In terms of consumer protection and the risk of (developing) gaming addiction, forms of automatic play (autoplay) in online slot machines are prohibited. With this form of play, the player no longer chooses the next game consciously and loses control."
The CCA can issue a cease and desist order and impose a fine of up to 300,000 euros if the firm continues to use the autoplay function.
According to Niels Onckenhout, executive director of Nederlandse Loterij, as the Dutch market continues to expand, 10 more licensees are expected later this year. In recent months, the CSA has repeatedly reminded operators of their licensing obligations, especially regarding advertising.
Read also: Record revenues from online casinos boosted Italy's total revenue in January