The Dutch Government has already spent years putting together the much-awaited Remote Gambling Act. It is all set to allow the online casinos to provide their services in the country in a legal way. The ball was set rolling for this move back in 2012, when the gambling authority called the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) was established to revise the gambling laws that had been around since 1964.
Now, the interesting fact is, the online gambling market of the Netherlands has already shown significant growth and seems ready to explode. The Remote Gambling Act is all it needs to become the biggest online gambling market in Europe.
But what are the different facets of this act and how is it going to help the online gambling scene in the Netherlands? Let’s find out!
Crucial regulations under the Dutch Remote Gambling Act
The Netherlands has historically taken a stricter approach towards the gambling industry. Though the Remote Gambling Act will let the private operators come into the market for the very first time and permit new kinds of games, the details of the regulation point out the unique approach taken by the Dutch in placing a greater premium on player protection.
- Casinos (online and land-based) and other such providers need to use a central register (CRUKS) to let all the players register automatically by the social security number they have. Also, the players will get to self-exclude from any licensed website. After the player gets excluded, they will not access the site anymore and the operator will not target them with any marketing moves. Lotteries are exempted from the CRUKS.
- Mandatory age verification using IDIN.
- Stricter regulations on promotional and marketing methods
Compulsory participation in CBD (controledatabank), which is the control database of the KSA. The database registers all the activity with online casinos and offers the KSA the direct access to keep a check on the casinos.
How is this law going to affect and change the Dutch gambling scene?
After the law comes into effect, the providers are allowed to apply for their Dutch Remote Gambling License. So, by this year, the players should be able to enjoy the latest casino offerings. It will open up the gambling market in Netherlands to two major possibilities:
- New companies will start entering the market
- The existing companies will get to majorly extend their offering
At present, a couple of legal online gambling sites are busy preparing to enter the Dutch market and make the most of the new opportunities.
Operators making the most of the momentum
Back in June 2019, it was already reported that eighty providers had officially declared an interest in gaining the online gambling license for the Netherlands. These providers included some of the widely known names. We highly recommend reading more about real money casinos or, how they are called by locals, casino echt geld online.
In fact, many of the smaller gambling brands in the country have also declared their plans to provide online gambling services in the Netherlands.
The size of the gambling market in Netherlands
In 2018, which is the last year for which the complete statistics are found, the gambling market contributed about €1.4 billion to the country’s GDP, which marked a growth of 9 percent, as compared to 2015. Going by the estimates, in 2015, about 9% of the total revenue was with the illegal online gambling avenues. These avenues will be available through the legal channels soon enough.
Going by the market projects after the new regulations come into the picture, the would-be legal operators can have a revenue of at least €185 million. But it is important to remember that the number depends on the income that comes from tax revenues. Hopefully, all the players that come into the legal arena are keen on paying the gambling tax. It will still be some time before the market size is estimated.
Comparing the Dutch market with other European countries
Though the Dutch players had to rely on illegal ways or make their peace with limited state-controlled offerings, the market has now gone from less than 500,000 players back in 2015 to 1.2 million in 2020. Also, the gross gaming revenue grew majorly during this time, and went from €296 million to €3.1 billion.
When you think of the gross gaming revenue, just Italy, Germany, France, and Spain can top the position Netherlands has. The players in the Netherlands spend way more than the German neighbors, and remain at par with their French counterparts. As the Remote Gambling act comes into play, Dutch players are surely going to play even more because their options and available offers will both increase.
The endnote
The new act will open up the market and add to the Dutch revenue from online gambling. Players can also enjoy their games at peace knowing that their interests are looked after by the government. All in all, there is nothing to stop Netherlands from becoming one of Europe’s biggest online gambling markets.
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