Dutch gambling market gets ready for opening

The Dutch gambling market is getting ready for opening. The regulated online gambling market will be a fact from 1 October 2021. The new organization of the Dutch gambling market was initially intended as a quick and smooth process, but has instead led to a process that has been delayed for years.

The Dutch government has spent years drafting the Dutch Remote Gambling Act and from October 2021 many gamblers around the world hope that gambling will be legal in the Netherlands. Opening the market doesn’t just legitimize online gambling. Dutch players have indicated that they prefer to play on legal Dutch sites. Moreover, opening up the market also allows operators to promote additional game offers. There are already a large number of applications for a Dutch gambling license. This could make the Netherlands the largest online gambling market.

From monopoly to license market

Currently, the Dutch state has the gambling monopoly. The state-owned Holland Casino, with 14 casino buildings spread across the country, is the only one allowed to offer casino games with croupiers. On the site nederlandseonlinecasino.nl you will find information about Dutch casinos, casino games, the latest news, reviews and much more. Dutch online casinos are still not legal. There are two companies where you can bet: Sportech Racing BV offers betting on horse races via its website runnerz.nl and De Lotto which offers sports betting via the Toto.nl site. In addition, there are a number of not-for-profit lotteries.
The Dutch gaming market is therefore a potential gold mine for international gaming companies, which are now waiting to be informed whether and when the gaming monopoly will expire.

New gambling law passed

The Remote Gambling Act will regulate online casino games in the Netherlands for the first time. The Gaming Authority can only start processing license applications to obtain a Dutch license from 1 July. Both domestic and foreign gambling companies can apply for this license. This is partly because the EU has called on Member States to review their gambling legislation, as a monopoly is not compatible with the idea that there should be a free market within the EU.

Conditions for licensees

To acquire this license and above all to keep it, the applicants will have to adhere to precise rules and pay taxes to the state based on the turnover generated. There are various conditions when applying for the permit. Operators must be affiliated with the Central Register of Exclusion of Games of Chance (CRUKS) and, according to the Gaming Authority, have the duty to monitor the activity of players and intervene if risky gaming behavior (such as betting large amounts or playing for long periods) is observed or suspected. Operators must also set up a control database (CDB) with up-to-date operational data and the regulator must have access to it.

No fewer than 183 companies have already shown interest in the future Dutch games of chance licence. This great interest in the Dutch license bodes well for the Dutch gaming industry.