TRAFFIC & STRATEGY
researchers labelled this provision as naive and criticised how operators have interpreted it . The lack of any precise definition of what the duty entails and how it should be fulfilled has led operators to employ widely varying approaches .
The researchers recommend that experts be tasked with improving this duty of care . A normative approach , where the Gaming Authority defines more precisely what is and isn ’ t allowed , seems to be the path for policymakers overseeing the Dutch gambling market .
Increase in gambling tax
The PVV emerged as the major winner of the House of Representatives elections on 22 November 2023 . With the political parties VVD , NSC and BBB , PVV formed the Schoof cabinet , which took office on 2 July 2024 . In the budget statement of this most right-wing government in the Netherlands since World War Two , the cabinet announced that , as of 1 January 2025 , the gambling tax would increase from 30.5 % to 34.2 %. A year from now , in January 2026 , this is expected to rise to 37.8 %.
Industry associations VAN Kansspelen ( land-based ), NOGA and VNLOK ( online ) have spoken out against this increase in gambling tax . They predict channelisation could be compromised as the higher tax makes legal offerings less attractive .
Major brands absent
Before legalisation , the Dutch market was dominated by Unibet , PokerStars and Bwin . Earlier , Oranje Casino and Kroon Casino were the leading brands . Unibet returned after regulation , but the other major international gambling companies walked a different path .
PokerStars ’ parent company , Flutter , did apply for a licence but later withdrew its application . The company did not publicly disclose why the application was withdrawn , but it is evident that the application process was more challenging than anticipated . We don ’ t know whether technical difficulty ( the required database connection ) or compliance ( the stringent requirements set by the Gaming Authority for all directors involved with a licence holder ) was the primary issue in obtaining the licence .
Bwin did not return as a brand to the Dutch market either . However , Bwin ’ s parent company Entain purchased BetCity , which had taken off quickly , thereby maintaining its presence in the Dutch market .
Betsson bought Kroon Casino
The law stipulates that the duty of care for players lies with the gambling sites themselves . The researchers labelled this provision as naive and criticised how operators have interpreted it
Frank Op de Woerd , CEO of CasinoNieuws . nl and Oranje Casino in 2014 with grand plans for the Dutch market . These familiar names were expected to make a comeback , but Betsson was not among the initial group of licensees , and the desired licence remained elusive . At the beginning of 2024 , Betsson acquired the small Dutch online casino Goldrun Casino . This acquisition is still awaiting approval from the Dutch gambling regulator .
Strong opposition to gambling
Christian parties in the Netherlands have traditionally been categorically opposed to gambling . They have consistently spoken out against online gambling regulation and have maintained their resistance since the system was implemented in 2021 .
Mirjam Bikker , the leader of the Christian Union , is the most vocal opponent of online gambling in the Netherlands , along with SP Member of Parliament Michiel van Nispen . Bikker and Van Nispen have filed dozens of motions to restrict the online gambling market . A lot of these motions were passed and implemented .
Bikker and Van Nispen were also the driving forces behind a motion to ban all online gambling advertisements . Additionally , they initiated a motion to ban “ very high-risk ” games of chance . These motions found enough support in the House of Representatives , but their implementation seems unlikely as they conflict with the core Dutch gambling policy .
Administration
Previously , the Minister for Legal
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