In a recent session of the Gambling Committee, members of the Dutch House of Representatives committed to enhancing enforcement measures against illegal online gambling sites. Over three hours of debate, lawmakers examined various aspects of the gambling landscape, such as illegal markets, advertising practices, and the established legal gambling age of 18.
The discussion engaged ten committee members across the political spectrum, who reviewed several reports, including a notable letter from Justice State Secretary KT van Bruggen, assessing gambling-related risks. Alarmingly, the KSA (Kansspelautoriteit) noted that the channelization rate, or the share of bets placed with licensed operators, had fallen below 50%.
Despite varying opinions on many topics, a consensus emerged among MPs regarding the urgent need to combat illegal gambling. Political parties, including ChristenUnie, PRO, and SGP, unitedly called for heightened enforcement against black market operators. They pushed for government actions to block illegal websites, drawing parallels with existing powers to swiftly address sites involved in terrorism and child pornography.
There was also a strong push for giving the KSA more authority to take tougher actions against payment processors, social media platforms, and affiliates that support illegal gambling operations. Van Bruggen shared that the government is working on new legislation that would include DNS blocking for illegal sites, with a consultation expected to take place in early 2027.
MPs highlighted a rising concern regarding illegal gambling site advertisements proliferating on social media, an issue the Dutch sector has aimed to combat through legal challenges against platforms like Meta. Van Bruggen indicated that Meta and Google have expressed openness to ongoing discussions about this matter. The government will receive biannual reports on illegal gambling advertising on these platforms and intends to advocate for EU-wide solutions through the Digital Services Act.
Representatives from the VVD party urged the government to adopt a firmer stance towards major tech companies to address these issues.
Another topic of discussion was the proposal to raise the legal gambling age in the Netherlands from 18 to 21. This suggestion has resurfaced previously, notably during the discussion of a 2025 bill aimed at adjusting the age limit for higher-risk gambling activities, such as online slots. Van Bruggen emphasized the need for additional time to determine if increasing the age limit would inadvertently drive younger individuals towards unregulated gambling options.
Supporters for raising the age included SGP's Diederik van Dijk and CDA's Tijs van den Brink. Van Dijk went even further, advocating for a full reversal of the online gambling legislation that was enacted in 2021, which created a more regulated market for online gambling. He also called for an outright ban on all gambling advertising, including for lotteries and physical casinos, and questioned the government's ties with state-owned entities like Holland Casino and Nederlandse Loterij.
Holland Casino's CEO, Petra de Ruiter, recently affirmed the company's commitment to player protection. Holland Casino has established a board dedicated to responsible gambling, comprised of scientists, experts, and executives, who meet regularly to evaluate and challenge the operator's policies and practices.
The debate largely revolved around ensuring stricter supervision and better protection for players. In the end, Van Bruggen stated that the priority would be to strengthen enforcement against the black market before considering an increase in the legal gambling age. "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 concluded.
