Dutch gambling market gains ground as youth protection concerns persist

The Netherlands' regulated gambling market is making progress in attracting consumers away from unlicensed operators. However, new figures from the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) indicate that improvements in market channelisation have not removed wider concerns about gambling-related harm. Young adults remain disproportionately represented among online gambling accounts while estimated player losses and demand for specialised treatment continue to attract regulatory attention.

The regulator's latest market overview, published on 29 October 2026, combines its annual assessment of the 2025 gambling market with monitoring data covering the first half of 2026. The findings highlight a complicated picture for the Dutch gambling industry, with stronger participation in the licensed sector occurring alongside continuing challenges involving player protection, responsible gambling and illegal advertising.

Regulated gambling gains a greater share of the market

The KSA estimates that licensed gambling operators accounted for 59% of the total market's gross gaming result during the first half of 2026. This represented an improvement from the estimated 54% recorded during the second half of 2025.

Gross gaming result measures the difference between stakes and prizes paid to players. It therefore offers an indication of the financial activity taking place across the market rather than simply counting the number of consumers using licensed services.

The improvement suggests that a greater proportion of gambling-related expenditure is being directed towards regulated operators. However, the broader market figures demonstrate that this development should not be interpreted as evidence of overall industry expansion.

The Netherlands' total gambling market recorded a gross gaming result of approximately €4.1 billion in 2025, compared with €4.5 billion in 2024. Online casino activity experienced an 18.2% decline while online sports betting recorded an even larger decrease of 30.2%.

The KSA has linked part of this contraction to the introduction of stronger player protection requirements towards the end of 2024. Higher gambling taxes introduced in January 2025 also contributed to the changing financial environment.

Nevertheless, the licensed online market showed signs of recovery during the first half of 2026. Its gross gaming result reached approximately €670 million, representing an increase of around 11% compared with the €602 million recorded during the second half of 2025.

The regulator also estimates that approximately 94% of people who gamble use legal operators exclusively. However, the revenue-based channelisation figure remains considerably lower. This difference suggests that consumers using unlicensed platforms may lose substantially more money on average, although estimates of illegal market activity involve greater uncertainty.

More gambling accounts do not necessarily mean more players

Another important development concerns the number of accounts being used by consumers.

During the first six months of 2026, licensed operators recorded an average of approximately 1.48 million active gambling accounts per month. This represented an increase from the 1.38 million accounts recorded during the second half of 2025.

However, the KSA found no comparable increase in the estimated number of individual gamblers. Its monitoring data placed the monthly average at approximately 490,000 people during the first half of 2026. Around 820,000 individuals had participated at least once during the six-month reporting period.

The distinction between accounts and individual consumers is important because one person can maintain accounts with several licensed operators.

According to the regulator, the increase in account activity may partly reflect the use of multiple accounts following the introduction of deposit restrictions. The men's football World Cup, which began in June 2026, may also have contributed to the increase in registrations and gambling activity.

These developments present an important consideration for responsible gambling policies. Measures introduced at individual operator level may not provide a complete picture of a consumer's overall gambling expenditure when several accounts are involved.

The KSA reported that average monthly losses reached €75 per active account during the first half of 2026. Among young adults aged 18 to 23, the corresponding figure was considerably lower at €34.

However, the estimated average loss per individual participant was €137 per month, compared with €121 during the second half of 2025. This represented an increase of approximately 13%.

The difference between the account-based and individual figures reflects the use of multiple accounts and the fact that consumers do not necessarily gamble every month. The regulator also cautioned that the individual loss estimate is based on statistical estimates rather than a direct measurement of every player's financial activity.

Young adults remain disproportionately represented

Youth participation continues to be one of the most important aspects of the Dutch gambling debate.

According to the KSA, consumers aged 18 to 23 accounted for approximately 22% of all active licensed gambling accounts during the first half of 2026. However, this age group represented only around 9.2% of the country's adult population.

The difference highlights the disproportionate presence of young adults within the regulated online gambling market.

Additional research published by the regulator on 20 August 2026 provided further information about gambling behaviour among younger consumers.

The study examined 16,266 accounts opened between 1 and 7 May 2025. After excluding accounts that had not recorded a bet during May, the KSA analysed 15,761 accounts.

Approximately 33% of the analysed accounts belonged to consumers aged between 18 and 24. Within this younger group, 41% were associated with individuals who were 18 years old.

The research also identified a notable relationship between reaching the legal gambling age and opening an account. Looking at additional registration data from 2024 and 2025, the regulator found that approximately 11% of accounts opened by 18-year-olds were registered on their eighteenth birthday. Around 38% were created within one month of that birthday.

These figures do not establish that every young adult who opens an account will develop gambling problems. Nevertheless, they provide relevant information for discussions about age-related exposure, marketing practices and the effectiveness of preventive measures.

The KSA has also highlighted how gambling can become familiar to younger people before they reach the legal participation age. Its wider research indicates that social environments and exposure to gambling-related products can influence how young people perceive the activity.

Treatment figures and self-exclusion registrations increase

The figures relating to gambling-related harm provide another important dimension to the regulator's assessment.

In 2025, a total of 3,108 people received specialised addiction treatment with gambling identified as their primary problem. This was more than 14% higher than the 2,708 people recorded in 2024.

These figures concern individuals receiving treatment through specialised addiction care institutions. They should not be interpreted as representing the total number of people experiencing gambling-related difficulties in the Netherlands, as some individuals receive support through other services.

The KSA's 2026 population research also provided an indication of different levels of gambling-related risk. Approximately 65% of online gamblers were estimated to participate without problematic gambling indicators, a proportion unchanged from the previous year. The share classified as high-risk remained at approximately 9%.

The national self-exclusion system, known as Cruks, also continued to record substantial participation.

By 31 July 2026, approximately 120,200 people were registered in the Central Register for Exclusion from Gambling. The register enables individuals to exclude themselves from access to regulated gambling services for a specified period.

The system also includes procedures for involuntary registration in circumstances involving player protection concerns. During the first half of 2026, the KSA recorded 746 requests and notifications relating to involuntary registration, compared with 442 during the previous six-month period.

The increase was particularly associated with notifications from licensed operators. These notifications form part of the industry's duty of care when customer behaviour indicates that additional protective intervention may be necessary.

The number of requests does not automatically represent the number of completed involuntary registrations. Nevertheless, the development illustrates the increasing importance of operator responsibilities and formal intervention procedures.

Gambling advertising faces further restrictions

Advertising remains another significant area of regulatory attention in the Netherlands.

The KSA reported that internet advertisements placed by licensed online gambling operators declined by approximately 33% during the first half of 2026. The average monthly number fell from around 75,000 during the second half of 2025 to approximately 50,000 during the following six months.

This measurement concerns online advertising by licensed providers rather than every gambling advertisement appearing across the internet.

The decline follows several years of increasingly restrictive advertising requirements. Previous measures have limited the exposure of minors and vulnerable groups to gambling promotions while also restricting traditional advertising channels and sponsorship arrangements.

In June 2026, the Dutch government announced plans to introduce additional restrictions on online gambling. The proposed package includes a prohibition on online gambling advertising, restrictions on bonuses and broader deposit limits designed to strengthen financial protection.

The government also outlined measures intended to improve the response to illegal gambling operations and strengthen the Cruks system.

These announcements represent proposed policy changes rather than proof that all the measures have already become law. The government indicated that the proposals would be developed into legislation.

VNLOK takes its Meta allegations to court

The issue of illegal gambling advertising has also become the subject of legal proceedings involving Meta.

VNLOK, the industry association representing licensed Dutch online gambling providers, announced on 28 September 2026 that it had formally summoned Meta before the Amsterdam District Court.

The organisation argues that advertisements promoting unlicensed gambling services continue to reach consumers through Facebook and Instagram. It says that more than 90% of the gambling advertisements examined in its research were connected to operators without a Dutch gambling licence.

VNLOK's August 2026 assessment reported that 96.5% of the selected high-reach gambling advertisements examined in May were associated with unlicensed providers. The corresponding figure for June was 93.7%.

The association also stated that Meta removed 11% of the identified illegal advertisements in May and 15% in June. These figures reflect VNLOK's own monitoring and should be understood as the organisation's findings rather than an independent judicial determination.

In its legal action, VNLOK is asking the court to assess whether Meta has complied with its obligations under the European Digital Services Act. The association is also seeking measures that would prevent illegal gambling advertisements from reaching Dutch consumers more effectively.

The proceedings add another dimension to the discussion about responsibility for illegal gambling promotion. They raise questions about the responsibilities of digital platforms, the effectiveness of advertising controls and the relationship between online intermediaries and national gambling regulation.

The allegations remain part of an ongoing legal dispute. They should not be treated as an established finding of liability against Meta.

Conclusion

The latest Dutch gambling figures demonstrate that improvements in market channelisation do not necessarily resolve the wider challenges facing the regulated industry.

The increase in the estimated revenue share of licensed operators is an important development for the country's regulatory framework. It suggests that a greater proportion of gambling expenditure is reaching businesses operating under Dutch licensing requirements. However, the difference between account numbers and individual participation also shows why market statistics need to be interpreted carefully.

Young adults remain an important focus of the regulatory debate. Their disproportionate representation among active gambling accounts, together with the concentration of registrations around the eighteenth birthday, highlights the importance of effective age-related protection and early intervention.

The increase in specialised treatment figures and the continued growth of Cruks registrations provide additional reasons for maintaining attention on gambling-related harm. At the same time, the government's proposed advertising restrictions and VNLOK's legal action against Meta show that the discussion is extending beyond licensed operators to include digital platforms and the wider online environment.

For the Netherlands, the next stage of gambling regulation will involve balancing several objectives. Authorities must encourage participation within a properly supervised market while ensuring that consumer protection measures remain effective across different operators and platforms.

Ultimately, the success of the Dutch regulatory framework will depend not only on how much gambling activity takes place legally but also on whether the system can reduce preventable harm, protect younger consumers and provide meaningful safeguards for those who need assistance.

FAQs

What percentage of the Dutch gambling market is regulated?
The KSA estimated that licensed operators captured approximately 59% of the total market's gross gaming result during the first half of 2026, compared with 54% in the second half of 2025.

How many people gamble online in the Netherlands?
The regulator estimated that approximately 490,000 individuals gambled online with licensed providers each month during the first half of 2026. Around 820,000 participated at least once during that period.

Why are gambling accounts increasing in the Netherlands?
The KSA suggests that greater use of multiple accounts may be contributing to the increase. The introduction of deposit restrictions and the men's football World Cup in June 2026 may also have influenced account activity.

How much do Dutch online gamblers lose on average?
The estimated average monthly loss per individual participant reached €137 during the first half of 2026. The average loss per active account was €75 per month.

What proportion of gambling accounts belong to young adults?
Consumers aged 18 to 23 accounted for approximately 22% of active licensed gambling accounts despite representing only around 9.2% of the adult population.

What did the KSA discover about 18-year-old gamblers?
Its research found that 41% of newly opened accounts belonging to consumers aged 18 to 24 were associated with 18-year-olds. Approximately 11% of accounts opened by 18-year-olds were registered on their birthday.

What is Cruks in the Netherlands?
Cruks is the national self-exclusion register that prevents registered individuals from accessing regulated gambling services covered by the system.

How many people received gambling addiction treatment in 2025?
A total of 3,108 people received specialised treatment for gambling as their primary addiction problem in 2025, representing an increase of more than 14% compared with 2024.

What restrictions are planned for Dutch gambling advertising?
The Dutch government announced plans in June 2026 to prohibit online gambling advertising and bonuses while introducing broader deposit limits and additional measures against illegal gambling.

Why is VNLOK taking legal action against Meta?
VNLOK argues that advertisements promoting unlicensed gambling operators continue to reach Dutch consumers through Facebook and Instagram. It is asking the court to assess Meta's obligations under the Digital Services Act.