In a recent debate held by the Dutch House of Representatives' Gambling Committee, lawmakers expressed a commitment to intensify enforcement measures against illegal gambling sites. The discussions, which lasted three hours, highlighted various aspects of the Dutch gambling sector, including the illegal market, advertising practices, and the minimum gambling age, currently set at 18.
Ten MPs from across the political spectrum reviewed numerous research papers and activity reports, including a letter from Justice State Secretary KT van Bruggen, dated April 2026, which examined gambling risks and noted a significant decline in channelisation, dropping below 50%.
Despite differing opinions on several issues, a consensus emerged about the urgency of addressing the illegal market. Representatives from parties such as the ChristenUnie, PRO, and SGP unanimously supported stronger enforcement against black market operators. They urged the government to enhance efforts to block illegal websites similarly to how it tackles terrorist and child pornography sites.
The committee members called for greater authority to be granted to the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling regulator. They proposed stricter regulations for payment providers, social media platforms, and affiliates that contribute to illegal gambling activities. Van Bruggen announced that legislation to enable DNS blocking for these illegal sites is in the works, with a consultation expected in early 2027.
The issue of illegal gambling advertisements on social media was also brought to light, as the sector is actively pursuing legal action against Meta. Van Bruggen remarked, “Meta, especially as one of the parties, but also Google, is really open to this conversation.” The government plans to receive reports every six months regarding illegal gambling advertising on these platforms, emphasizing the need to address the problem at the EU level through the Digital Services Act.
Members of the VVD party stressed the need for a more assertive approach towards these tech giants.
Further discussions also revisited the topic of legal gambling age, with some politicians advocating for an increase to 21. This proposal is not new; a 2025 bill had previously suggested raising the age for high-risk activities such as online slots. Van Bruggen cautioned against a potential increase, asserting that it could inadvertently push young people towards unregulated offerings. Key proponents of raising the age limit included the SGP’s Diederik van Dijk and the CDA’s Tijs van den Brink.
Van Dijk pushed for a complete repeal of the Netherlands’ 2021 online gambling legislation, which had established a more robust legal gambling market. He argued that increased restrictions and taxes have adversely affected licensed operators and called for a ban on all gambling advertising, including for lotteries and land-based casinos. His concerns extended to the government’s engagement with state-owned entities like Holland Casino and Nederlandse Loterij, particularly regarding their capacity to mitigate gambling-related harms.
Petra de Ruiter, CEO of Holland Casino, recently expressed pride in their player protection efforts. Holland Casino maintains a responsible gambling board that includes scientists and experts with personal experiences, meeting regularly to assess and challenge the operator’s practices.
The debate largely revolved around enhancing supervision and player protection. However, the secretary of state indicated that prioritizing enhanced enforcement against the black market takes precedence, while the proposition of increasing the gambling age will be revisited once the illegal market is adequately controlled. "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.
