Online casinos Netherlands: guide Dutch gambling market
While this policy played a key role during the market’s opening phase, it is now largely considered a transitional measure, as most major international operators have since obtained licences and re-entered the regulated Dutch market. One of the main reasons to regulate the market was to actually offer consumer live casino met professionele dealers protection and avoid illegal operators targeting Dutch players. Although the market for online gambling in Holland was legalised relatively late in October 2021, Dutch players had been massively visiting online casinos even before the legal market was opened. After a more than 24 hour delay the first legal online casinos opened their virtual doors on the 2nd of October 2021.
In May 2013, 6 years before the final approval, the Remote Gambling Bill (Koa Act) was put on the agenda for the first time. For involuntary registration, a concerned party (e.g., a partner, family member, legal guardian, or gambling operator) can request registration through the Ksa. Licensed operators must check Cruks before granting access to their games. Since October 4, 2021, players can register with the Central Register for the Exclusion of Games of Chance (Cruks) to self-exclude from gambling for a minimum of six months at all legal providers, both online and land-based. Other key operators include TOTO Casino, Holland Casino Online, and Jack’s Casino.
This highlights a key limitation of survey-based measurements, as players may not always be aware whether a platform is licensed or not. More recent insights from the Dutch Gambling Authority (Ksa) and industry stakeholders indicate that channelisation based on gross gaming result (BSR) may be significantly lower. Since the regulation of online gambling in 2021, the Dutch government has aimed for a channelisation rate of at least 80%, meaning that the majority of players should gamble with licensed providers. The Dutch government set a target of 80% channelisation within three years, aiming to ensure that the majority of players participate in the regulated market. This strategy is known as channelisation, the process of directing players from unlicensed to licensed gambling providers.
Online Gambling Regulation in the Netherlands
- Licensed operators must check Cruks before granting access to their games.
- Gambling is legal in the Netherlands under the Betting and Gambling Act 1964 which is a law that was made in the 60’s to regulate gambling.
- Overall, the Dutch gambling market is now characterised by a more balanced structure, with casino games (56%), lotteries (34%), and sports betting (10%) forming the core segments of the regulated industry.
- There are a few online casinos that have made a very solid impression so far.
- From October 2, 2021 online casinos have been allowed to offer their gambling products to Dutch players.
- While this policy played a key role during the market’s opening phase, it is now largely considered a transitional measure, as most major international operators have since obtained licences and re-entered the regulated Dutch market.
- After a more than 24 hour delay the first legal online casinos opened their virtual doors on the 2nd of October 2021.
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In some cases, estimates suggest that less than 50% of total gambling revenue is generated through licensed operators, pointing to continued activity on illegal websites. Channelisation refers to the percentage of players who gamble with licensed operators instead of illegal websites. In addition, search behaviour and online visibility data suggest that illegal gambling providers remain highly accessible to Dutch players.
July 2023: Ban On Gambling Ads
Before the legalisation of the online gambling market in the Netherlands on October 1, 2021, the size of the illegal online gambling market was estimated at approximately €750 million per year in 2020. Being written in a time when the internet didn’t exist, the law was obviously outdated by the time the first online casinos emerged. More recently, some licensed operators have also chosen to leave the market due to stricter regulations, advertising restrictions, and increasing tax pressure. This makes channelisation a key topic in discussions about the effectiveness of Dutch gambling regulation.