Online gambling is officially allowed from October 2021

On October 1, 2021, the Netherlands opened a licensed online gambling market: the first permits for operators were earned, and verification by the CRUKS self-exclusion register became mandatory in all channels - both online and offline. The legal basis is the Wet Kansspelen op afstand (KoA) reform package, which supplemented the basic Wet op de kansspelen law (Wok, 1964) and transferred the country from a prohibitive-permissive model to a managed digital ecosystem with uniform standards for player protection.

1) What exactly "started" on October 1, 2021

Official admission online. Online casinos/slots, live games, sports betting, online poker are allowed - only for operators with a Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) license.

CRUKS - mandatory check. Any licensed operator is required to check each customer against the central self-exclusion register prior to admission to play.

Control Database (CDB). Key gaming and financial events are automatically mirrored into a control base that KSA has near real-time access to.

Uniform RG standards. Deposit/time limits, pre-large bet "coolers," early behavioral interventions, and idle operator right to lock in on risks.

2) How we got to launch: A brief timeline

2019 - adoption of KoA (law on "games at a distance").

April 1, 2021 - KoA comes into force: start of acceptance of applications, technical acceptance tests CRUKS/CDB.

October 1, 2021 - the opening of the market, the publication of the first licenses and the launch of the mandatory CRUKS.

3) Regulator role: Kansspelautoriteit (KSA)

KSA issues and revokes licenses, audits IT readiness, is responsible for compliance with KYC/AML and Responsible Gaming, controls advertising and applies sanctions - from orders and fines to blocking unlicensed offers, payment and advertising channels.

4) License for online: what the "entry threshold" consists of

Legal transparency: ownership structure (UBO), financial resilience, safeguarding policies and incident response plan.

Technical readiness: integration with CRUKS and CDB, RNG/RTP certified, version logging, backup, RPO/RTO.

KYC/AML/KYT: verification of identity and age before deposit, monitoring of transactions and source of funds for high-risk, sanctions/PEP checks.

RG design by default: limits, timeouts, red flags of behavior, quick access to self-exclusion.

Marketing contour: ban on indirect advertising and aggressive bonuses; frequency caps of communications and protection of vulnerable audiences.

5) What it changes for players

Simple and safe. Registration and KYC before the deposit, visible limits, understandable bonus conditions, quick access to help.

Legal choice. The player can check whether the site has a Dutch license and rely on transparent payments and data protection.

Self-control. CRUKS allows you to voluntarily exclude yourself from the game for a given period in all licensed channels at once.

6) What it means for operators

A "security team" is mandatory. Technical telemetry (CDB), behavior control, incident management and regular audits are part of the license, not "best practices."

Responsibility for communications. Any creative and channel goes through a legal filter: without "heroes of opinions" for young people, without hints of easy gain, without spam and retarget on the vulnerable.

Spot checks and publicity. KSA publishes violations and sanctions, which increases discipline and quality competition.

7) Advertising and bonuses after 1. 10. 2021

Minimum pressure principle. Non-targeted advertising is restricted or prohibited; aggressive bonuses and hidden conditions are illegal.

Frequency limits. Caps by e-mail/SMS/push; restrictions on time and environments where there is a youth audience.

Transparency of offers. The wagering and timing conditions must be clear and feasible; misleading serving is punishable.

8) Frequent myths and facts

Myth: "They allowed online, so you can play anywhere."

Fact: legally - only operators with a Dutch KSA license.. com sites without permission remain illegal to work with a Dutch audience.

Myth: "CRUKS is only for online."

Fact: the registry also works for offline - casinos, arcades and machine rooms.

Myth: "Bonuses have become unlimited again."

Fact: bonus policy is strictly regulated; violations lead to sanctions.

9) Short checklist

To the player:

Check for a Dutch license and CRUKS at registration.
Include deposit/time limits and use pauses.

Operator:

Maintain continuous CDB data integrity and correct CRUKS requests.
Keep RG metrics (limits, interventions, self-exclusions) at the level, record and practice incidents.
Pass ads through pre-public legal check and frequency caps.

10) Why the launch of 2021 is not "liberalization," but "managed legalization"

The reform is not about growth at any cost, but about redirecting demand to a controlled perimeter with a high security bar: unified digital registries (CRUKS, CDB), predictable rules for business and understandable self-control tools for people. This reduces the share of "gray" supply and strengthens confidence in the legal market.

Inference.

From October 1, 2021, online gambling in the Netherlands is officially allowed - subject to a KSA license and strict adherence to player protection rules. The KoA + Wok bundle, mandatory CRUKS and CDB, and strict advertising standards made the Dutch online market not just "allowed," but manageable and responsible. This is what ensures the sustainability of the industry and real safety for the consumer.