Dutch Gambling Rules Tighten, but Players Are Quietly Moving Elsewhere

The Dutch gambling market isn’t shrinking, but it’s not really growing either. On the surface, things look stable. Underneath, a different story is starting to take shape.

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Fresh figures from the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) show that the regulated market has barely changed over the past six months. The number of licensed operators is steady. Player activity is flat. Revenue hasn’t moved much either.

That stability comes after a wave of changes over the past two years. The Netherlands introduced stricter deposit limits, tougher rules on advertising, and higher taxes. The aim was simple: reduce harm and bring more control to the market.

In one sense, it’s working. Players are losing less on average. Monthly losses have dropped to about €120 in the second half of 2025, a noticeable fall compared to the year before.

But that improvement comes with a catch.

Where the money is going

While losses are down, the legal market’s share is slipping. Licensed operators handled 56% of total gambling revenue at the start of 2025. That has now dropped to 53%.

It’s a small shift, but it points in one direction. More money is flowing outside the regulated system. The gap is widening slowly, not suddenly, which makes it harder to spot but harder to ignore.

In practical terms, that means close to half of all gambling spend in the Netherlands may now be happening on unlicensed sites.

Changing player habits

Some of this comes down to how players are reacting. Instead of stepping away, many appear to be adjusting.

There is evidence that players are opening accounts with multiple operators. That makes it easier to work around limits that apply to a single platform. It also weakens the idea of a controlled environment, since activity becomes harder to track in one place.

Others are going further and using unlicensed platforms altogether. These sites tend to offer fewer checks, higher limits, and quicker access. Some also accept cryptocurrency, which adds another layer of distance from regulation.

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For players who feel restricted, the alternative is easy to find.

A wider pattern

The Netherlands is not alone in this. Similar patterns are showing up elsewhere.

In South Africa, most gambling activity is now believed to take place on unlicensed platforms. In the UK, research has suggested that offshore operators can still reach players without facing serious consequences, largely because enforcement across borders is difficult.

Technology is playing a role here as well. New tools, including crypto payments and more advanced targeting methods, are making it easier for illegal operators to compete.

What regulators are weighing up

Dutch authorities are now looking at next steps. One option is a nationwide deposit limit that would apply across all licensed operators, rather than per site. The idea is to stop players from moving between platforms to get around restrictions.

It could close one gap, but it may open another. If the legal system becomes too tight, some players may simply leave it.

The KSA has made it clear that easing protections is not something they want to consider. There are ongoing concerns about vulnerable users, especially younger adults. Around 6% of the population gambles online, and 18-year-olds stand out for how many accounts they hold compared to other age groups.

At the same time, funding for prevention and addiction support continues to increase.

Still looking for balance

The situation in the Netherlands shows how difficult this balance is. Stricter rules can reduce losses and improve safeguards, but they can also change where people choose to play.

Right now, the legal market is holding its ground, but only just. The bigger question is what happens if the current trend continues.

If more players drift away, stability on paper may start to look like something else entirely.

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