🇳🇱Netherlands gambling regulation

Legal framework at a glance

Dutch gambling law rests on the Wet op de kansspelen (Betting and Gaming Act) of 1964, amended by the Remote Gambling Act (Wet Koa). Wet Koa was passed in 2019, entered into force on 1 April 2021, and the licensed online market opened on 1 October 2021. Before then, only the state-controlled providers could offer online gambling, and large offshore operators served Dutch players illegally.

Since opening, the market has been tightened repeatedly in response to concerns about advertising and harm among young adults.

Item	Position (October 2026)
Regulator	Kansspelautoriteit (KSA)
Online casino, betting, poker	Licensed
Lotteries	State lottery plus licensed charity lotteries
Land-based casinos	Holland Casino (state-owned)
Self-exclusion	Cruks national register

The regulator

The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) licenses and supervises operators, runs the Cruks register, and enforces against illegal gambling. It is an independent administrative body funded largely by the sector, and it also supervises amusement arcades and Holland Casino. It can impose fines, issue binding instructions and ask payment providers and internet intermediaries to cut off illegal operators. It also publishes monitoring reports on the market, including a June 2026 report on the effects of the tax rise.

Licensing

Online licences are issued for five years and cover games of chance offered remotely: casino games, sports betting and poker. Applicants must meet requirements on integrity, a Dutch-located data vault for supervision, responsible gambling policies and addiction prevention. Operators contribute to the Verslavingsfonds (Addiction Fund). See gambling licensing models.

Online products — what is and isn’t legal

Online casino games, slots, sports betting and poker are all available from licensed operators. The state lottery and charity lotteries operate under separate licences, and Holland Casino holds the land-based casino monopoly, although it also operates online. Proposals under discussion in 2026 would raise the minimum age for high-risk online games, such as slots, from 18 to 21.

Taxation

Kansspelbelasting (gambling tax) is levied on gross gaming revenue. It rose from 30.5% to 34.2% on 1 January 2025 and to 37.8% on 1 January 2026. The KSA’s June 2026 monitor estimated that 91–95% of players still use licensed sites, depending on how players who also use illegal sites are counted. It noted a slight decline in channelisation but said it could not attribute this to the tax. See gambling taxation compared.

Advertising and marketing rules

Untargeted gambling advertising on TV, radio, print and in public spaces has been banned since 1 July 2023. Sponsorship of TV programmes and events was barred from 2024, and the transition period for sports sponsorship ended on 1 July 2025. Targeted online advertising remains possible under strict conditions, and a ban on using role models such as athletes in ads has applied since 2022. See gambling advertising rules.

Player-protection requirements

Since the 2024 responsible-gaming policy rule (thresholds effective 1 October 2024):

• Affordability checks: operators must check affordability when monthly deposits reach €300 (ages 18–24) or €700 (25+), and block further deposits that month if the player cannot afford them.
• Real-time monitoring: operators must monitor play around the clock and intervene within an hour of signs of harmful behaviour.
• Session warning: more than six hours of play a day is treated as a sign of potential harm.
• Mandatory limits: players must set deposit, login and time limits.
• Cruks checks: required before every session.

See affordability and financial risk checks.

Enforcement against unlicensed operators

The KSA has fined numerous offshore operators for targeting Dutch players, applying criteria such as Dutch-language websites, Dutch payment methods and marketing aimed at the Netherlands, and works with payment providers and hosting companies to disrupt illegal sites. Proposals announced in 2026 would give it powers to take illegal sites offline faster. See spotting unlicensed operators.

What this means for players

Before you play, check that the operator appears in the KSA’s register of licensed providers. Licensed sites must ask you to set deposit, login and session limits, will contact you if your deposits reach the affordability thresholds, and must refuse you if you are in Cruks. Sites that market themselves as operating without Cruks are illegal in the Netherlands, offer no Dutch dispute resolution and are a common route back into harmful play. If a licensed operator treats you unfairly, complain to the operator first and then to the KSA. See our guide to knowing your rights.

Recent developments and what to watch

In June 2026 the government announced a further package of measures, including:

• in principle, a ban on all online gambling advertising, with very limited exceptions;
• a ban on bonuses, including free bets for new customers and loyalty rewards;
• a minimum age of 21 for high-risk online gambling;
• a central system to monitor limits across operators;
• stronger enforcement powers for the KSA.

No effective dates had been set as of October 2026. Some parties are pushing for even tougher rules on “dark patterns” in platform design.

For practical help, see self-exclusion in the Netherlands and Dutch support services.