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New affordability-linked deposit limits took effect on Tuesday (October 1) in the Netherlands, and a top online gambling group is warning that successive restrictions are boosting the attractiveness of the illegal market.
From Tuesday, net deposits are limited to €700 per month, or €300 for those between 18 and 25, and gamblers are to get reminders of spending and time limits every 30 minutes of play.
Deposit limits can be increased if the player shows proof of income.
New players must set deposit limits, and if the number they choose is above €350 monthly, they must be warned of the risks of gambling and given helpline numbers.
The Licensed Dutch Online Gambling Providers (VNLOK) trade group said it supports measures that “provide additional protection for players”.
But with a series of restrictions which include higher tax rates, the government “ensures that the coherence in legislation and regulations disappears” and increases the appeal of the illegal market, said group chair Helma Lodders, a former member of parliament.
“It is important to carefully monitor the balance between strict regulation and preventing over-regulation from leading to an increase in illegal supply,” she said.
The group includes government-owned Holland Casino and Nederlandse Loterij, which is controlled by the Ministry of Finance and whose profits go to charities and sports organisations.
Group members have also objected to planned increases in gambling tax from the current 30.5 percent of gross gaming revenue to nearly 38 percent in 2026.
On Tuesday, member of parliament Mirjam Bikker, a persistent advocate of gambling restrictions, also renewed her support for the deposit limits to be imposed across the board, rather than just with individual companies.
Eric Konings of the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) said the trade group would cooperate if such rules were imposed, but he warned that the gamblers most likely to bump up against the limits were also the most likely to go elsewhere.
He urged the government to give more power to the Netherlands Gambling Authority to fight illegal operators.
Bikker said the state should look first to legal operators, who have a “duty of care” to their players
Bikker and Konings were speaking on an NPO Radio 1 broadcast, according to Casino Nieuws.
