for early access to the latest igaming videos!
and get the latest igaming news first!
Michel Groothuizen, chair of the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has raised concerns about parts of the new coalition’s gambling policy under Prime Minister Jetten.
While he welcomed the government’s focus on protecting vulnerable players and cracking down on illegal sites, he questioned whether a full advertising ban and limits on the number of licenses would achieve those goals.
“Let me start by saying that I understand and can easily empathize with the negative emotion of politicians about gambling advertising. The gambling world by its nature has a high bling bling content, and therefore sometimes evokes more annoyance than understanding from politicians (and from me as a supervisor),” he explained.
Advertising ban and illegal market concerns
Groothuizen pointed out that the majority of gambling ads now appear on social media, and “the lion’s share comes from illegal parties.” He cited figures showing more than 60,000 ads aimed at Dutch users each month on Facebook and Instagram, with fewer than 2,000 from licensed operators.
“A ban on online advertising only affects the legal offer,” he said, stressing that illegal providers would continue to flood platforms regardless. He argued that without visibility for regulated operators, players risk being “lured away from the legal market even more than now,” leaving them exposed to sites without safeguards.
Limits on licenses questioned
The coalition agreement also calls for exploring a cap on the number of online gambling licenses.
Groothuizen expressed doubts about its usefulness. “We have about thirty legal online providers in the Netherlands… Admitting provider X and Y and not provider Z with the same product on numerical grounds is not explainable for us as a licensing authority,” he stated.
He explained that strict conditions and enforcement already exist, and reducing the number of operators would not necessarily cut advertising or player numbers. Instead, he suggested that if society does not want certain products, “we must ban them” outright rather than arbitrarily limiting providers.
KSA agrees with the government on broader plans
Despite his reservations, Groothuizen emphasized alignment with the government’s broader objectives. “On the main goals, protecting the vulnerable and combating illegality, there is no light whatsoever between the goals of the cabinet and those of us as a supervisor,” he said.
He expressed readiness to work with the new ministers, noting that compliance with the duty of care has improved, and enforcement remains a priority. While he questioned the effectiveness of some measures, he welcomed the opportunity to collaborate on strengthening consumer protection and tackling illegal gambling.
