Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Netherlands’ gambling regulator, has detailed that new measures designed to improve gambling protections have resulted in reduced player losses.
The Dutch gambling regulator has introduced deposit caps to curb excessive gambling, with a €700 ($824) monthly net deposit limit for players, and a lower €300 cap for young adults aged 18-25, effective from the first day of each month.
If these limits are reached, no further amounts can be placed until the next month.
Since implementation, the KSA’s latest report shows a significant drop in players exceeding these limits, from 9.7% to 2.2% overall, and from 12.0% to 1.9% for young adults.
Additionally, players must now contact operators to deposit above €350 (or €150 for young adults), with fewer than 50% exceeding these thresholds post-regulation.
The report indicates the measures have led to a 31% reduction in average monthly player losses, dropping from €116 to €80 over eight months, despite players maintaining an average of 2.4 accounts.
It also showed high-stakes losses (over €1,000 monthly) fell from 4% to 1%, and gross gaming revenue (GGR) declined by 8%, indicating reduced excessive gambling with licensed operators.
Concerns remain on the black market and channelization
Conversely, the Kansspelautoriteit noted a rise in searches for the top 100 illegal gambling platforms, suggesting potential growth in the unregulated market and its plethora of websites.
Despite this, ‘legal channelization’ remains strong at 93%, down slightly from 95%, though data firm H2 Gambling Capital disputes this.
It has estimated a €2.10bn market split evenly between legal and illegal operators.
The Kansspelautoriteit retains concerns about a recent gambling tax increase from 30.5% to 34.2% in January 2025, set to rise further to 37.8% in 2026, which could drive players to illicit sites,
This would have a further negative impact on channelization.
The Licensed Dutch Online Gambling Providers (VNLOK) highlighted illegal market growth risks, with H2GC projecting regulated operators’ share to fall to 45% (€1.21bn) of the igaming market by 2030.
As it continues to monitor the overall situation, the Kansspelautoriteit plans to release a report on the impact of tax hikes soon. The Dutch regulator is a very active body, pushing on with its remit to ensure the Dutch sector is safe and fair for players, protecting the regulated market, while taking punitive action against unregulated operators.
This week, the Kansspelautoriteit has issued best practices in recording player files following a roundtable discussion earlier this year when conversations took place on improving the recording in player files, with these described as being ‘essential’ for the regulator.
Image credit: LKN
