Online gambling: legalized from 2021

On October 1, 2021, the Netherlands opened a licensed online gambling market. The legal basis was the Wet Kansspelen op afstand (KoA) reform, supplementing the basic Wet op de kansspelen law (Wok, 1964). Supervision is carried out by the independent regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA). From now on, online casinos, slots, live games, sports betting and online poker are allowed only with operators with a Dutch license - with strict requirements for player protection, data and marketing.

1) Key dates

2019 - adoption of KoA.

April 1, 2021 - KoA comes into force; start of acceptance of applications and technical tests.

October 1, 2021 - the actual opening of the market: the first licenses, mandatory verification through CRUKS for all channels (online and offline).

2) What is allowed online

Casino games and slots.

Live casino (dealer games).

Sports betting (with a set of restrictions on markets and events).

Online poker.

All products are only available through licensed KSA operators.

3) Player protection: "Default RG"

CRUKS (Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen): national register of self-exclusion. CRUKS verification is mandatory prior to admission to play; the registry entry closes access to all licensed operators, online and offline.

Duty of Care: behavior monitoring, deposit/time/rate limits, "coolers" before large rates, early interventions and, if necessary, temporary blocking.

18 + and KYC before the game/deposit: verification of identity, age, address; at risk - source of funds, PPE/sanctions checks.

4) Digital surveillance and technology

CDB (Control Database): Licensed operators mirror key gaming and financial events into a control base available to KSA in near real time.

Certification of games/platforms: independent laboratories (RNG/RTP), build version, logs and redundancy.

Reliability: Requirements for RPO/RTO, incident reporting, encryption, and vulnerability management.

5) Advertising and bonuses: minimum pressure

"Non-targeted" mass advertising and any communication affecting vulnerable audiences is prohibited.

You cannot use role models, promise "easy winnings," hide the conditions of bonuses.

There are cap-limits by e-mail/SMS/push and "quiet windows" (at night - without mailings).

Any creative is pre-public legal/RG tested by bona fide operators.

6) License: what the operator should be able to

1. Transparent ownership structure (UBO), financial stability, compliance policies.

2. Integration with CRUKS and CDB, certified stack, logging.

3. Full KYC/AML/KYT and incident response plan.

4. RG design by default: limits, pauses, reports to the player, quick access to help.

5. A marketing circuit that complies with KSA restrictions.

7) Taxes and money (in general terms)

The tax is levied on the operator's GGR (gross gaming income).

Separate accounting of client funds and reserves is required.

Payment and anti-fraud processes are audited; transactions are monitored for anomalies (KYT).

8) What it means for players

Security and simplicity: clear limits, transparent bonus terms, quick access to self-exclusion and help.

Legal choice: Checking for a KSA license is easy; payments and data processing are regulated and audited.

Uniform rules: CRUKS is valid for all licensed sites and ground sites.

9) Frequent business mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Gray ads/affiliates. Solution: 18 + target, rejection of "clickbait," full labeling and pre-check.

Opaque bonuses. Solution: bring key conditions to the initial screen; a real, doable vager.

Gaps in CDB/CRUKS. Solution: log integrity monitoring, regular tests and incident SLAs.

Ignoring behavioral signals. Solution: Duty of Care automatic triggers + support training.

10) Short checklist

To the player:

Operator:

Keep CRUKS/CDB integrations seamless; start a pre-public legal/RG review.
Measure RG metrics (share of players with limits, interventions, reaction speed) and record incidents.

Inference.

Since 2021, online gambling in the Netherlands is legal, but only in the format of a strict license and digital supervision. The combination of KSA + CRUKS + CDB, enhanced advertising rules and "RG by default" give players a protected experience, and bona fide operators - transparent and predictable rules of the game.