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The Dutch government is intensifying efforts to overhaul its gambling legislation after seven licensed operators were investigated for failing to meet their duty of care obligations, particularly in relation to protecting young adults from excessive gambling losses.
This move is part of a broader push to tighten responsible gambling measures, with legal reforms expected to take shape in 2026, following expert consultation and public health input.
Investigations Trigger Reform Push
In a formal letter to the Dutch House of Representatives, Minister for Legal Protection Teun Struycken confirmed that seven providers are currently being probed or have already been investigated by the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA).
Three cases involve extreme financial losses among young adults, raising alarms about player vulnerability and lack of timely operator intervention.
One operator has already been fined €734,000 for failing to act on signs of risky player behaviour.
The KSA has responded by scaling up its enforcement teams to enable broader and more effective oversight, with particular emphasis on monitoring real-time player data and flagging indicators of harm.
Legislative Overhaul Planned for 2026
Struycken has commissioned the Trimbos Institute’s Gambling Expertise Centre to lead an independent working group of national and international specialists. This team will assess current shortcomings and recommend improvements to how operators detect, assess, and respond to problematic play.
Key reforms under discussion include:
A complete overhaul of duty-of-care rules
Stronger enforcement mechanisms
Possible new legislation or general administrative orders based on empirical research and expert insight
The group is expected to deliver its final report in summer 2026, although priority recommendations will be fast-tracked for early implementation.
Youth Gambling on the Rise
The crackdown comes amid growing concern over the rise of gambling among minors and young adults. A new national study, Participation in Gambling in the Netherlands: Measurement 2025, found:
20% of 16–17-year-olds reported gambling online in the past year — up from 12% in 2024
Among 18–24-year-olds, the figure rose from 17% to 21%
Overall gambling participation increased to 69% (or 37% when lotteries are excluded)
Struycken described the findings as “deeply worrying,” although he clarified that the KSA has found no evidence of underage users registering with licensed operators. This suggests that unlicensed sites or borrowed identities/accounts may be the source of access.
To address this, the KSA has launched a probe into bank payments potentially made by minors to gambling providers, with results expected later this month.
Strengthening Prevention and Education
Alongside enforcement, the government is boosting its public education and prevention efforts:
A revamped KSA Gambling Information Desk website will launch in September 2025, featuring interactive self-assessment tools and targeted content for younger demographics.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport is collaborating on a new multi-year harm prevention strategy, while the Addiction Science Netherlands (VKN) network is evaluating how to expand gambling education across schools and municipalities.
What This Means for the Industry
For gambling operators, this signals a major regulatory shift in the Dutch market. Compliance with duty-of-care obligations will move from a soft requirement to a legally enforceable mandate, with fines, reputational risk, and licence scrutiny on the line.
Operators and affiliates with a presence in the Netherlands—or planning market entry—should review their responsible gambling tools, intervention triggers, and player protection workflows now. Meanwhile, executives should stay closely aligned with the legislative timeline to ensure readiness for what may become one of Europe’s strictest regulatory frameworks.
Source: next.io
