The state of The Netherlands iGaming industry

At this point, a few years into the shift in the iGaming landscape in the Netherlands, there are some calls from government corners and from the Ksa to tighten regulations to ensure that the customers remain the priority and that limits are imposed that help to look out for and prevent problematic gambling. 

What happened in 2021?

This was a massive year for the Dutch iGaming landscape. It was when both domestic and foreign providers of remote games of chance were given the chance to apply for licenses that would allow them to operate in the country. Before the end of 2021 online gambling was illegal in the Netherlands. All providers must adhere to the KOA (Remote Gambling Law), which covers games such as, slot machines, poker, bingo, online lotteries, live casino games, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and sports betting.

This has had a drastic impact on the landscape of iGaming in the Netherlands, and the popularity has been on a steady increase since 2021. There have been calls in some quarters for tighter regulations due to the problem of gambling addiction, and this is where the Ksa report comes into play. 

The Ksa proposal

Based on a survey conducted within the industry last year, the Ksa has proposed that there must be greater efficiency of the monitoring of online gambling. This means better systems and better trained employees to understand what constitutes problematic gambling, to recognise it within an hour and to act. For any player that has deposited an amount greater than 700 Euro in one month, they should provide proof of earnings before they can deposit any more money. This would be a lower figure of 300 Euro for younger players aged 18-24. 

Government proposal

The Dutch Minister for Legal Protection, Franc Weerwind, has outlined proposed changes to online casinos that would come in during the Autumn of 2024. This proposes a ‘moment of contact’ with any player that looks to raise their limit above 350 Euro. This limit would be a stricter 150 Euro for younger players aged 18-24. There is also a proposal to change the deposit pages on casino websites, making them as boring as possible, with no enticements or bells and whistles that might attract people and implore them to deposit more money than they can afford. 

The growth of iGaming in the Netherlands

It was a grey market, online casinos in the Netherlands for a few years before the legalisation of the industry in 2021. Players still accessed online gambling but would have to in foreign online casinos through VPNs and the like. You can say therefore, that the legalisation of the industry has been a success. The government target was that at least 80% of players were using a legal online casino within three years, but this was surpassed in year one. There have been challenges of course, with strict licences in play, but that would be expected, as would the potential tightening of regulations as mentioned above.

How fast was the growth of the industry

There was a fast peak in the Dutch market after a few months of legal online gambling, as has been seen in other countries where the process of online gambling legalisation has taken place. What has been different in the Netherlands is that not all operators entered the market at the same time, and with every new casino came new offerings and there was a restriction on previously illegal online casinos that were legitimising, giving an advantage to completely brand-new casinos in the market, like Play North’s brand: Kansino. 

Are there any controversies?

There has been a long list of appeals from casino operators that have failed to get licences or been put on hold, and there has also been an expansion of the ban of role models used in gambling advertisements alongside the phasing out of gambling sponsors for events and sports clubs. 

How do the figures look for the Dutch iGaming landscape?

2022 was the first full year of legalised online gambling in the Netherlands, so the data for would be interesting to give the first full indication of how the market is moving. The latest report from KSA shows that there was a total gaming gross result of 3.4bn Euro, up 1.4bn Euro on the year before. This would be partly down to the legalisation of online gambling and partly down to the higher demand post-lockdowns. Online gambling was responsible for 31% of this, and it will be interesting to see if this share increases in the future as a greater number of online casinos enter the market.

As you can see, the Dutch iGaming landscape is in rude health. The popularity of online casinos continues to grow year upon year, and this will only increase over the coming years. With the proliferation of online gambling potential, players have more choice than ever before, and it is important that they have the choice of prestigious online casinos that have genuine empathy and understand the struggles of problematic gambling. With this in mind, some of the best online casino in the Netherlands have increased the training for staff members and implemented processes that underpin an authentic brand ethos that is centred around responsible gambling.