Online casinos in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is one of the most progressive countries in Europe, and this applies not only to technology, but also to gambling. After many years of strict restrictions, on October 1, 2021, the KOA (Wet Kansspelen op Afstand) law officially entered into force in the country, which legalized online gambling and introduced a transparent licensing system. Today, the Netherlands is one of the most modern and regulated iGaming markets in Europe, where legal operators operate under strict state supervision.

Legislative framework

Until 2021, online gambling in the Netherlands was actually banned, with the exception of lotteries and sweepstakes.

The key changes were brought by Wet Kansspelen op Afstand (KOA) - the Distance Gambling Act, passed by parliament in 2019 and entered into force on April 1, 2021, with the launch of the market on October 1, 2021.

The law regulates all forms of gambling, including:

online casinos (slots, roulette, blackjack and poker);
sports and esports betting;
lotteries and bingo.

Market control is carried out by Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) -

The Netherlands Gaming Authority, an independent state regulator subordinate to the Ministry of Justice and Security.

KSA tasks:

issue and renewal of licenses;
control over compliance with legislation;
combating illegal sites;
protecting players and minors;
audit of financial statements of operators.

Licensing

Obtaining a Dutch Kansspelautoriteit license is a complex and expensive process.

Basic requirements for operators:

a legal entity registered in the EU/EEA;
impeccable reputation of the company and executives;
the presence of a system of self-control of players;
RNG's data protection and integrity;
Servers with KSA access (for auditing and monitoring)
participation in the national Cruks program - a system for excluding players with addiction.

The license is valid for 5 years.

Licensed operators are required to post the KSA logo and a link to Cruks on their website.

Taxation

The tax system in the Netherlands is transparent, but quite high.

For online gambling, a single rate is applied:

29.5% of gross income (GGR) - gambling tax;

plus corporate tax (average 19-25% depending on profit).

Additionally, licensed operators are required to donate annually to the Verslavingspreventiefonds fund.

Online gambling and operators

Since the launch of the market in 2021, more than 20 companies have received licenses.

Among the largest and most famous operators:

Holland Casino Online is the official online brand of the state casino;
Toto Casino is a sports betting and casino operator;
BetCity. nl, Circus. nl, Unibet. nl, LeoVegas. nl, Bet365. nl, LiveScore Bet, Fair Play Online, Jack’s Casino Online;
PokerStars. nl и GGPoker. nl are legal online poker platforms.

Most offshore sites that do not have a KSA license are blocked and fined.

Land-based casinos

Gambling in the Netherlands has a long tradition.

The main operator is Holland Casino, which operates 14 land-based casinos across the country (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Maastricht, Eindhoven, Groningen, etc.).

In addition, the following are actively working in the country:

playrooms (speelhallen) - halls of machines with low betting limits;
лотереи (Staatsloterij, Postcode Loterij, VriendenLoterij);
sports and horse racing betting - via Toto Sport.

Popular games and player preferences

The Dutch have a high interest in gambling, especially digitally.

Payment methods

The local currency is the euro (EUR).

The Netherlands has one of the most convenient and secure online payment systems in Europe.

Main methods:

iDEAL - a national payment system used on almost all licensed sites;
Visa, MasterCard, Maestro;
Skrill, Neteller, PayPal, MuchBetter;
Apple Pay, Google Pay;
SEPA bank transfers.

The use of cryptocurrencies in licensed casinos is prohibited, but some offshore platforms support Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Economic importance

According to KSA, the total turnover of the Dutch gambling market in 2023 exceeded €3.5 billion, of which about €1.2 billion fell on the online segment.

Gambling has become an important part of the national economy, providing:

more than 10,000 jobs;
over €800 million in tax revenues annually;
funding sports, culture and health programs.

Responsible play and player protection

The Netherlands pays special attention to the social responsibility of operators.

Main measures:

mandatory registration of all players;
Cruks (Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen) - a centralized base of players with self-exclusion;
deposit and playing time limits;
a ban on aggressive advertising and bonus promotions;
partnership with Loket Kansspel, AGOG, Verslavingszorg Nederland.

Any user can voluntarily block access to games through Cruks for a period of 6 months to an indefinite period.

Challenges and challenges

The market is in the stabilization phase and faces a number of challenges:

excessive regulation of advertising (targeted advertising of gambling has been completely prohibited since 2023);
high taxes that limit operators' profits;
competition from unlicensed sites;
development of cryptocasino and NFT gambling outside the legal field.

Nevertheless, player confidence in licensed platforms is growing due to the high degree of protection and transparency of payments.

Development prospects

The Netherlands continues to form one of the most modern online gambling systems in Europe.

In the coming years, it is expected:

introduction of new KSA standards for live games;
development of AI-tools for monitoring gaming activity;
creation of a European software testing center in Amsterdam;
possible - partial permission of crypto payments under the control of the regulator;
growth of the mobile-first casino and live entertainment segment.

Thanks to a balanced policy and digital culture, the Netherlands has become an example of how you can create a legal, transparent and safe online gambling market that is beneficial to both the state and the players.