The Dutch government is set to implement a total ban on gambling advertisements and introduce license limits, citing fears of crime and a need to protect the public from an industry they have compared to the sex trade.
The Netherlands has entered a volatile new era of gambling oversight following the formal unveiling of a 67 page policy agreement by the freshly minted minority coalition. This alliance, comprising the D66 Party, Christian Democrats, and the VVD Party, has adopted a remarkably aggressive posture toward the sector. In a move that has sent shockwaves through the industry, the government text explicitly links online gambling with sex work, categorising both as high risk environments for criminal enterprise and human trafficking. This ideological shift signals a departure from the pragmatic regulation seen in previous years and moves toward a regime defined by strict containment.
Central to this new agenda is a comprehensive ban on all forms of gambling promotion, alongside a proposed limit on the number of available online licenses. While the previous administration under Dick Schoof had already tightened the screws with the 2023 restrictions on broadcast and print media, this new proposal seeks to extinguish the remaining digital marketing avenues. The coalition justifies these measures as essential protections for vulnerable citizens, yet the timing is particularly sensitive as the market approaches its five year anniversary. With the original 2021 licenses up for renewal this year, operators are now facing an uncertain landscape where compliance history and political whim may dictate their future in the territory.
Industry reactions have been swift and critical. The VNLOK trade body, led by Björn Fuchs, has highlighted a dangerous paradox: as legal restrictions tighten, the unregulated black market expands. Recent data suggests this trend is already in motion, with legal gross gaming revenue falling from €697 million to €600 million in the first half of 2025. Michel Groothuizen, chairman of the KSA regulator, has hinted that his efforts to provide balanced, evidence based advice are frequently ignored by a political class more interested in optics than operational reality. As the new cabinet prepares to be sworn in, the Dutch betting market stands at a precarious crossroads between strict regulation and outright suppression.
The comparison between the gambling sector and sex work is a deliberate piece of political theatre designed to alienate the industry from mainstream public support. By framing betting through the lens of human trafficking and organized crime, the coalition is creating a moral imperative for intervention that bypasses traditional economic arguments. This rhetoric suggests that the new government views the 2021 liberalisation of the market not as a success in consumer protection, but as a mistake that requires urgent correction.
From an operational standpoint, the proposed license caps and advertising blackout represent a fundamental threat to the viability of the legal Dutch market. We are seeing a classic case of regulatory overreach where the desire to protect the vulnerable ignores the reality of consumer behaviour. If players cannot distinguish between a licensed site and a rogue operator due to a total lack of legal visibility, they will naturally drift toward the higher bonuses and fewer restrictions offered by the black market. The KSA data already shows a 16% dip in legal revenue, a clear warning sign that the pendulum has swung too far.
The friction between the KSA and the three party coalition is perhaps the most concerning element for long term stability. Michel Groothuizen is a pragmatist trapped in a populist storm. His warnings about the dangers of a minority government attempting to force through radical changes without broad support are well founded. For operators, the renewal process in 2026 was already expected to be a rigorous audit of their compliance records. Now, it appears they must also navigate a political environment that is fundamentally hostile to their existence.
