Netherlands’ online slot ban risks return to black market

Before 2021, the Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) actively implemented a ban on online gambling, fined gambling websites that sought to influence the Dutch market. However, after years of legal negotiations, online gambling was finally regulated in northwestern Europe in 2021. As a result, licensed Dutch gambling websites became widely available, with a majority of players from the Netherlands opting for newly officially licensed platforms over black market sites.

Indeed, the market has evolved with the emergence of a new legal framework, and when the new industry began on October 1, 2021, only 10 operators were initially approved for Dutch online gambling licenses, but the number continues to grow, and now various services are booming. All legal online casinos in the Netherlands must hold licenses issued by KSA.

As of May 2024, there are 28 licensed online casinos across the country, 25 of which are currently in operation. Operators who have not yet started the service will soon start. In addition, existing licensees can apply to increase their approved segments. Sports betting, for example, has been a special area of interest for expansion.

When searching for these online casinos in the Netherlands, they offer Dutch players a variety of safe gambling platforms, each of which goes through research and allows them to choose their own games, bonuses, and features. These various legitimate online casinos give players the preference for a broad list of licensed operators and the confidence to find an ideal fit for their game needs.

DON’T WATCH NOW There is a motion by Socialist MP Michiel van Nispen that includes a ban on online gambling advertising as well as “high-risk” online gambling, particularly slots, which was narrowly passed by the Dutch House of Commons on April 16, 2024. The move could allow players to return to the black market. Almost certainly, such a ban would have a significant negative impact on the country’s regulatory industry as well as state revenues. According to the Gaming Authority’s Spring 2024 Online Gambling Monitoring Report, 77 per cent of all sales could now be attributed to online casinos.

The aim of the 2021 re-regulation of the market was to see players move from black market sites to legitimate platforms and see if at least 80% of the market did so within three years. With respect to player and web traffic, the current channeling rate or channelization is estimated at 90%, making the Dutch regulatory market one of the most successful in Europe. 실시간 바카라사이트

Seventy-nine lawmakers voted in favor of a motion to ban online slots from games of chance, where they are used as a prime example, but it remains to be seen whether this will be established in law. It is now the responsibility of the Dutch legal protection minister, Frank Weerwind, to review and approve the law.