The cooling-off period basically meant that operators breaching the rules discussed above were going to be submitted to a cooling-off period of 24 months. During this period they wouldn’t be allowed to apply for a Dutch licence as a response to their violations. In October and November the first big operators announced that they were going to apply for a Dutch licence and hope to return to The Netherlands in Q2 and Q3 of 2022.
Cruks: wat is het en hoe werkt het?
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. The regulated online market reached a gross gaming result of €1.39 billion in 2023, indicating substantial growth, representing a 28% increase compared to the previous year. Kindred Group confirmed in its 2023 annual report that Unibet is the market leader in the Netherlands. According to Unibet’s parent company, the online casino holds a 20% market share.
Lijst met alle 30 legale Nederlandse Casino’s
Websites such as BetFair, PokerStars, and Unibet all www.betarena.sk decided to shut down their operations ahead of regulation. The official decision confirming the Act’s implementation was eventually published in the government gazette, clarifying that April 1, 2021, would be the date when the Dutch online gambling market would be regulated. On that day, interested operators began submitting their license applications to the Ksa. By the end of April, the gambling regulator had received 29 applications — far fewer than the initially anticipated 90. Special Note on Online Scratch CardsAlthough online scratch cards are prohibited in the Netherlands, an equivalent type of game, known as “click & reveal” games, exists within the legal market.
The number of players participating in online scratch cards would be comparable to those playing online casino games like blackjack, roulette, and game shows. Physical scratch cards bought http://kaasinocasino-nl.nl via the Dutch Lottery’s website are not included in the “online scratch card” category. Operators that have refrained themselves from targeting Dutch players in the last few years won’t be affected by this cooling-off period and are free to go ahead and apply for a Dutch licence. With the acceptance of new legal operators, the Dutch government wants to encourage consumers to play at legalised online casinos in Holland emphasising the importance of secure gambling, official licences, and responsible playing. The Kansspelautoriteit is an independent governance body and the official regulator of all casino games in the Netherlands, both online and offline.
The advertising ban on online gambling in the Netherlands came into effect on July 1, 2023, restricting untargeted advertising across various media, including television, radio, and public spaces. Starting July 1, 2024, sponsorships of television programmes and events were prohibited, marking the first stage of the phase-out. An exception was made for existing sponsorship deals signed before this date. These agreements were allowed to continue temporarily to honour contractual obligations.
There are a few online casinos that have made a very solid impression so far. Holland Casino offers a lot of bonuses and launched an outstanding website and BetCity has turned out to be a popular website among players as well. TOTO came up with an excellent platform too and even offers its exclusive branded slot game.
- TOTO, GGPoker, BetCity were the first three operators that launched their website, after which casinos such as Holland Casino, and Kansino (formerly known as Batavia Casino) followed with their sites.
- This amount represented the total bets placed by Dutch players with unregulated online gambling operators.
- Special Note on Online Scratch CardsAlthough online scratch cards are prohibited in the Netherlands, an equivalent type of game, known as “click & reveal” games, exists within the legal market.
- The regulated online market reached a gross gaming result of €1.39 billion in 2023, indicating substantial growth, representing a 28% increase compared to the previous year.
Operators are also required to actively monitor player behaviour and intervene when necessary to ensure compliance and safeguard players’ well-being. Tombola ceased its operations in The Netherlands on October 1, 2024, becoming the first operator to exit the Dutch market. As of October 2024, GfK and H2 Capital (PDF) states the market’s current channelisation rate is between 87% and 95%, well above the 80% target set in 2021.
The Dutch online gambling market accepts both domestic and international operators. From October 2, 2021 online casinos have been allowed to offer their gambling products to Dutch players. Online casinos that are available in the Netherlands include Holland Casino Online, TOTO, BetCity, and Bet365. 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. 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. This amount represented the total bets placed by Dutch players with unregulated online gambling operators.
The new Remote Gambling Act was approved in 2019, after first being introduced in 2012. There is no cap on the number of online gambling licenses, so the number of license holders may change in the future. Applicants must meet strict requirements, and historically, only about one in three applicants successfully obtains a license. The Dutch Senate voted in favour of the new Remote Gambling Bill in 2019 after which the bill came into effect on the 1st of April 2021. A play limit of €700 per operator has been set (€350 for players aged 18 to 24) to prevent significant losses and addiction.
Since June 30, 2022, Dutch and international celebrities are no longer allowed to appear in gambling adverts by Dutch gambling brands. The ban on role models applies to all ads for high risk games of chance including land-based casinos, sports betting, and online gambling. The ban covers all major mainstream channels such as TV, online ads, outdoor media, and newspaper ads. One of the main reasons to regulate the market was to actually offer consumer protection and avoid illegal operators targeting Dutch players. When the plans for regulation became more concrete, the Gaming Authority was given full control to take action against online casinos and other betting sites that actively targeted Dutch players. Following the announcements of the KSA on the 29th of September that all illegal online casinos will need to be shut down in November 2021, a lot of international operators decided to close down their activities on the Dutch market.
Data from H2 Gambling Capital showed that Bet365 and BetCity are other major players in the country with 17% market share. After the Dutch gambling authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) granted the first licences on the 29th of September 2021, the first regulated online casinos opened their virtual doors in the Netherlands on the 2nd of October 2021. Since the legalisation of online gambling in the Netherlands in October 2021, gambling ads have faced ongoing pressure. A partial ban on gambling ads on TV, radio, and outdoor media was adopted in July 2023.