In a recent debate, members of the Dutch House of Representatives focused on the enforcement against illegal gambling sites, pledging to act more decisively. The three-hour session revolving around the gambling sector highlighted various concerns, including the illegal market, advertising practices, and the legal gambling age set at 18.
Ten committee members, representing a wide political spectrum, scrutinized several research papers and reports, including a letter from Justice State Secretary KT van Bruggen dated April 2026, which addressed gambling risks and acknowledged that the KSA estimated channelisation had fallen below 50%.
Despite differing opinions on many topics, there was a consensus among MPs regarding the illegal gambling market. Politicians from parties like ChristenUnie, PRO, and SGP emphasized the need for enhanced enforcement against black market operations. They called for the government to take similar swift action against illegal websites as it does for issues like terrorism and child pornography.
Committee members urged that the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands’ gambling regulator, be granted greater authority to confront payment processors, social media, and affiliates that facilitate illegal gambling activities.
Van Bruggen announced that the cabinet is working on legislation to enable DNS blocking for illegal gambling websites, with a consultation expected in early 2027. Additionally, the growing prevalence of illegal gambling site advertisements on social media was raised, with the government taking legal action against Meta for this issue. Van Bruggen commented that both Meta and Google have shown willingness to engage in dialogue about this problem. The government will receive biannual reports concerning illegal gambling advertising on these platforms and will seek to address this issue at the EU level through the Digital Services Act.
Members of the VVD party called for a stricter approach to these major tech companies. The debate also revisited the legal gambling age, with some politicians proposing an increase from 18 to 21 years. This proposal has surfaced before, as evidenced by a 2025 bill suggesting the age should be raised for high-risk activities, such as online slots. Van Bruggen responded that more analysis is required to determine if raising the age limit would inadvertently drive young people towards unregulated options.
Support for the age increase came from SGP’s Diederik van Dijk and CDA’s Tijs van den Brink, with Van Dijk advocating for a complete reversal of the Netherlands' 2021 online gambling legalization, which originally established the legal gambling framework. He expressed concern over the impact of tightening player restrictions and increasing taxes on licensed operators. Moreover, he called for a ban on all gambling advertisements, including those for lotteries and physical casinos, and questioned the government's relationship with state-owned entities like Holland Casino and Nederlandse Loterij in terms of assessing gambling harms.
Last week, Holland Casino's CEO Petra de Ruiter emphasized the organization's commitment to player protection, explaining the establishment of a responsible gambling board that collaborates with experts and incorporates feedback to enhance current practices.
The discussion predominantly revolved around stricter monitoring and player safety. Ultimately, Van Bruggen stated that enhancing enforcement against the black market would take priority. She indicated that the issue of increasing the legal gambling age would be re-evaluated once the illegal market is adequately managed. "It is time to tackle that illegal offer properly, so that we can move towards a time when we do have to move towards an age increase. If that turns out not to be necessary, then we don’t do it," she affirmed.
