Online casinos Netherlands: guide Dutch gambling market

The Dutch gambling regulator was funded through gaming levies and the prevention of illegal gambling among Dutch players has been one of the main responsibilities ever since it was launched. While the online segment remains significant, recent data suggests that growth has slowed due to stricter regulations and player protection measures. Gambling is legal in the Netherlands under the Betting and Gambling Act 1964 which is a law that was made in the 60’s to regulate gambling. 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. 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. There are a few online casinos that have made a very solid impression so far.

The most popular online casino games in the sportweddenschappen en gokkasten op één platform Netherlands are the lotto (67%), sports betting (23%), live sports betting (14%), scratch cards (13%) and slots (12%). Online sports betting was the most popular form of online gambling, with 4% of the Dutch population aged 16 and older participating in the past year. Another notable trend is that young adults are more likely to engage in sports betting, which represents a significantly larger share of their total gambling activity compared to other age groups. Young adults (aged 18–23) remain a key focus group within Dutch gambling regulation, as they are considered more vulnerable and therefore receive additional legal protection.

This is partly explained by lower average income levels, but also reflects the impact of stricter player protection measures targeting this age group. Data from 2025 shows that young adults generated approximately €66 million in gross gaming result (GGR) in the first half of that year, accounting for around 11% of the total online market. As a result, channelisation in the Netherlands is increasingly viewed as a multi-dimensional concept, where both player numbers and financial flows (BSR) must be taken into account to accurately assess the effectiveness of regulation.

Market share online casino’s in the Netherlands

Although violations lead to severe financial sanctions, unregulated online casinos have never been blocked online — and still remain accessible to most Dutch internet users. 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. This amount represented the total bets placed by Dutch players with unregulated online gambling operators.

• 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.

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• The Dutch gambling market generated a total gross gaming result (GGR) of €4.3 billion in 2024, remaining stable compared to 2023 (source marketscan 2025 Ksa).

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• One of the main reasons to regulate the market was to actually offer consumer protection and avoid illegal operators targeting Dutch players.
• In some cases, estimates suggest that less than 50% of total gambling revenue is generated through licensed operators, pointing to continued activity on illegal websites.

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• The answer is YES.The Remote Gambling Bill allowing online games of chance to be offeren on betting sites was adopted in the Netherlands in February 2019 after almost a decade of debate and division.

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• The ban on role models applies to all ads for high risk games of chance including land-based casinos, sports betting, and online gambling.
• Being written in a time when the internet didn’t exist, the law was obviously outdated by the time the first online casinos emerged.

Types of Licences

From October 2, 2021 online casinos have been allowed to offer their gambling products to Dutch players. The Dutch online gambling market accepts both domestic and international operators. Check out the full list of the 10 most popular casino games in the Netherlands on Casino.nl. 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. Recent data by Ipsos I&O shows that 65% of the Dutch population aged 16 and older participated in at least one gambling activity within the 12 months.

October 2024: Mandatory Play Limits

Based on the most recent publicly available operator data (2023), Unibet was estimated to hold around 20% market share, followed by Bet365 and BetCity (approximately 17%). Overall, the Dutch gambling market is now characterised by a more balanced structure, with casino games (56%), lotteries (34%), and sports betting (10%) forming the core segments of the regulated industry. The slowdown in 2024–2025 highlights the direct impact of stricter Dutch gambling regulation on market performance. Within this market, online casino games accounted for approximately €1.1 billion, representing around 26% of the total market. The Dutch gambling market generated a total gross gaming result (GGR) of €4.3 billion in 2024, remaining stable compared to 2023 (source marketscan 2025 Ksa). The answer is YES.The Remote Gambling Bill allowing online games of chance to be offeren on betting sites was adopted in the Netherlands in February 2019 after almost a decade of debate and division.

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Top online casino and betting sites Netherlands

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In May 2013, 6 years before the final approval, the Remote Gambling Bill (Koa Act) was put on the agenda for the first time. For involuntary registration, a concerned party (e.g., a partner, family member, legal guardian, or gambling operator) can request registration through the Ksa. Licensed operators must check Cruks before granting access to their games. 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. Other key operators include TOTO Casino, Holland Casino Online, and Jack’s Casino.

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Cruks (Self-Exclusion Register)

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Dutch players were now allowed to legally sign up at Dutch casinos with an official KSA-licence. On September 29, 2021 it was announced that 10 licences had been granted. 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.

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April 1, 2021: New Gambling Law Comes Into Effect

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The ban on role models applies to all ads for high risk games of chance including land-based casinos, sports betting, and online gambling. As of January 1, 2026, new policy rules for remote gambling licences have come into force in the Netherlands, further tightening the regulatory framework. Although the Netherlands was among the last countries in the European Union (EU) to legalise online gambling, the coalition agreement of Cabinet Rutte II had already indicated that the country’s gambling policy was in need of reform. The latter has become one of the main tasks of the KSA after online casinos started gaining popularity.