Dutch Gambling Act: licensing, player protection and recent changes

The Dutch Gambling Act (Wet op de kansspelen, Wok) prohibits offering or promoting games of chance in the Netherlands without a licence. Since the Remote Gambling Act (Wet kansspelen op afstand) entered into force on 1 April 2021, online casino games and betting are legal only with a licence from the Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, Ksa); the licensed online market opened on 1 October 2021.

Licensed operators must meet strict rules on player protection, advertising, anti-money laundering and tax. Below we explain what counts as a game of chance, who needs a licence, the duty of care towards players, the advertising rules and what players and operators should check.

What counts as a game of chance under Dutch law?

A game of chance is a game in which participants can win prizes and the winners are determined by chance, without participants having a dominant influence. Skill-based games can therefore still be games of chance if luck decides the outcome.

Casino games, slot machines, lotteries, sports betting and online poker all fall under the Act. Offering such a game without a licence is prohibited, and so is promoting an unlicensed offer, for example through affiliates or payment services.

Who regulates gambling in the Netherlands?

The Ksa grants licences, supervises compliance and enforces against illegal providers, both online and land-based. Municipalities issue permits for arcades and slot machine premises and supervise local small games.

The Ksa can impose administrative fines, orders subject to a penalty payment (last onder dwangsom), binding instructions and public warnings. Fines can reach the sixth fine category or, if higher, 10% of the operator’s annual turnover. The Ksa also acts against parties that facilitate illegal gambling, such as payment service providers and hosting companies.

Which licences exist?

The Act distinguishes between online and land-based licences. Each licence covers a specific type of game.

• Online (remote) licences: casino games, peer-to-peer games such as poker, sports betting and horse race betting.
• Land-based licences: the state casino (Holland Casino), arcades and slot machines, which also require a municipal permit.
• Lotteries: charity lotteries and the state lottery under their own licences.

An online licensee must keep a control database (CDB) in the Netherlands and connect to the national exclusion register CRUKS. The Ksa assesses the applicant’s reliability, the origin of its funds and its addiction prevention policy before granting a licence.

What does the duty of care towards players involve?

Licensed operators must actively prevent excessive and underage gambling. They verify that each player is 18 or older, check every player against CRUKS and require players to set limits on deposits, playing time and account balance.

Since 1 October 2024 stricter rules apply under the Regulation on playing limits and more conscious gambling (Regeling speellimieten en bewuster speelgedrag).

• A new player who sets a monthly deposit limit above €350 (€150 for players under 24) must first have a personal contact moment with the operator.
• Above €700 net deposits per month (€300 for players under 24), the operator must check whether the player can afford it; if that cannot be established, the account is restricted.
• All amounts must be shown in euros.

A player registered in CRUKS, voluntarily or involuntarily, is excluded from all licensed online and relevant land-based providers for at least six months.

What advertising and bonus rules apply?

Since 1 July 2023, untargeted advertising for online games of chance is banned. This rules out advertising on TV, radio, in print and in public places; online advertising is only allowed if it is targeted and excludes minors, young adults and excluded players.

Sponsorship by online gambling operators outside sport ended on 1 July 2024, and sports sponsorship ended on 1 July 2025. Using role models such as athletes in gambling ads is prohibited, and cashback bonuses are not allowed. On 9 October 2026 the Ksa also reminded operators that they may not require players to wager deposited money before a withdrawal unless it is linked to a bonus.

Which anti-money laundering and tax obligations apply?

Online licensees and Holland Casino fall under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (Wwft). They must identify players, monitor transactions and report unusual transactions to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-Nederland); our guide on money laundering in the Netherlands explains these duties.

Operators pay gambling tax (kansspelbelasting) on their gross gaming revenue. The rate rose to 34.2% on 1 January 2025 and to 37.8% on 1 January 2026; the rate is set in the annual Tax Plan, so check it on belastingdienst.nl. On top of the tax, licensees pay a levy that funds the Ksa and addiction prevention.

What should you check as a player?

Play only with licensed operators: the Ksa publishes a register of licence holders on kansspelautoriteit.nl. Illegal sites sometimes copy legal sites with a misleading .co.nl domain, which the Ksa warned against in October 2026.

• Check whether the operator appears in the Ksa licence register.
• Check whether the operator asked you to set deposit, time and balance limits when you registered.
• Keep your account history, deposits and any contact with the operator.
• Note whether the operator contacted you when your deposits rose sharply.
• Register in CRUKS if you want to exclude yourself for at least six months.

If an operator breached its duty of care, or offered games without a licence, you may be able to reclaim your losses through the civil courts. Case law on these claims is still developing, so each case needs an individual assessment.

What should you check as an operator?

Ksa supervision focuses on the duty of care, CRUKS, the control database and advertising. Recurring breaches can lead to fines and, in serious cases, suspension or revocation of the licence.

• Check your onboarding: 18+ verification, CRUKS check and mandatory limit setting.
• Check that the October 2024 thresholds for personal contact and affordability checks are applied.
• Check that your advertising is targeted and that no sponsorship contracts remain.
• Check your Wwft procedures, bank account verification and reporting of unusual transactions.
• Check affiliates and payment providers for links to unlicensed offers.

What can we do for you with the Dutch Gambling Act?

Our administrative law attorneys advise operators and players on Dutch gambling law.

• We assess whether a player has a claim against an operator for breach of the duty of care.
• We collect and analyse account histories and correspondence with the operator.
• We draft the demand letter and bring the civil claim to recover losses.
• We advise operators on duty of care, advertising and Wwft compliance.
• We file objections and appeals against Ksa fines and orders.

Summary

• Offering or promoting games of chance in the Netherlands requires a licence under the Wet op de kansspelen; online gambling is licensed since 1 October 2021.
• The Ksa licenses, supervises and fines operators and those who facilitate illegal gambling.
• Since 1 October 2024, personal contact is required above €350 monthly deposits and an affordability check above €700 (lower for under-24s).
• Untargeted gambling advertising is banned since July 2023, and sports sponsorship ended on 1 July 2025.
• Gambling tax is 37.8% of gross gaming revenue since 1 January 2026.

Frequently asked questions