New Rules in the Netherlands Lead to Sharp Decline in High Gambling Losses
The latest monitoring report from the Dutch Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, Ksa) shows a significant reduction in extreme player losses following the introduction of new responsible gambling regulations.
Regulatory Changes Reduce Player Losses
According to the Ksa’s Spring 2025 monitoring report, the introduction of new responsible gambling rules in October 2024—including deposit limits—has led to a noticeable drop in high player losses. Before these measures, 4% of accounts lost over €1,000 per month. Since implementation, that figure has fallen to 1.2%.
Additionally, the proportion of gross gaming revenue (GGR) generated by players losing more than €1,000 per month declined sharply. Prior to October 2024, these players contributed 73% of total GGR. That number now stands at 23%.
Gross Gaming Revenue Grows, Then Falls
The Dutch online gambling market recorded €1.47 billion in GGR for 2024, representing a 6% increase from 2023. However, revenue in the second half of the year dropped by 10% compared to the first half. The decline may partly reflect a temporary boost from the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament held in June.
Young adults aged 18 to 23, a group considered particularly vulnerable, accounted for 11% of total GGR in the second half of 2024, although they make up only 9% of the adult population. On average, these players lost €48 per month, significantly less than the €148 monthly average for players aged 24 and older. This group also favors sports betting more heavily. Of their total spend, 29% went toward sports wagers, compared to 22% for other age groups.
Number of Accounts Increases Slightly
An average of 1.19 million gambling accounts were active each month in the last half of 2024, up slightly from 1.1 million six months earlier. The number of newly opened accounts also rose, possibly influenced by increased awareness of responsible gambling initiatives.
However, since individuals can operate multiple accounts, the number of accounts does not directly equate to the number of players. The Ksa estimates that 788,000 unique individuals were active on legal platforms during this period—about 5.4% of the adult population. Channelization in the Netherlands shows a strong preference for legal platforms in terms of player numbers, with 91% of online gamblers using licensed operators.
