Dutch Licensed Gambling Market Contracts to €4.1bn in 2025

Regulating the gambling industry is a balancing act between consumer protection and market viability. In 2025, the Netherlands provided a stark example of how regulatory tightening can impact market size. According to the latest market scan from the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the licensed Dutch market contracted significantly. Online casino and sports betting sectors bore the brunt of this decline. Total gross gaming revenue (GGR) across both land-based and online segments fell to €4.1bn last year, compared to an inflation-adjusted €4.5bn in 2024.

Several factors contributed to this downturn. The Ksa points to the stricter duty of care regulations that came into effect on October 1, 2024. These rules included mandatory net deposit limits, which directly impacted player spending capacity. Additionally, the government increased the gambling tax, creating a more challenging financial environment for operators. The data suggests that while these measures aim to enhance player safety, they also lead to a measurable shrinkage in the legal market's financial volume.

Numbers and facts

The details of the Ksa report highlight the specific areas of decline. Total online GGR for 2025 was recorded at €1.20bn, a sharp 21% drop from the €1.52bn seen a year earlier. Online casino revenue specifically fell by 18.2% to €947m. The sports betting segment suffered even more, with a 30.2% decrease, resulting in €254m compared to €364m in 2024. This was partly attributed to the lack of a major football tournament like the 2024 European Championship.

Interestingly, tax revenues did not fall as sharply as GGR. Total gambling tax receipts reached €1.05bn. This stability, despite falling turnovers, is explained by the tax rate hike from 30.5% to 34.2% at the start of 2025. In contrast to the online struggles, the land-based sector showed resilience. State-owned Holland Casino reported a 2.8% GGR increase to €683m, driven primarily by slot machine performance rather than traditional table games. Arcade venues, however, saw a 4.7% decline in revenue.

Background

Looking into the first half of 2026, the Ksa's monitoring report suggests a potential recovery. Licensed online GGR reached €670m in the first six months, representing an 11% increase over the second half of 2025. The monthly average stood at approximately €110m, likely buoyed by the men's World Cup held in June and July 2026. However, the regulator noted a concerning trend in account management. While active accounts rose from 1.38m to 1.48m, the estimated number of unique monthly players remained stagnant at about 490,000.

This discrepancy suggests that players are opening multiple accounts across different platforms, likely as a strategy to circumvent the per-account deposit limits. The Ksa is closely monitoring this behavior to ensure the effectiveness of player protection measures. Furthermore, the report highlighted a 14% increase in people seeking treatment for gambling addiction in 2025. This rise in care figures serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges in mitigating gambling-related harm.

Why it matters for German players

The developments in the Netherlands mirror the regulatory environment in Germany under the GlüStV 2021. German players are subject to the LUGAS system, which enforces a strict €1,000 monthly deposit limit across all licensed providers. The Dutch experience shows that such limits can lead to players spreading their activity across multiple sites. For German consumers, it is vital to stick to GGL-licensed casinos, as these are the only platforms providing legal certainty and access to the OASIS player block system. The Dutch channelization rate by participants remains high at 94%, showing that despite strict rules, players prefer the safety of the regulated market over illegal offshore sites.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

For operators holding a GGL license in Germany, the Dutch market scan serves as a cautionary tale regarding tax increases and player limits. The Dutch tax hike to 34.2% is a significant burden that mirrors the high tax pressures in the German market. Operators must prioritize technical compliance and player monitoring to satisfy regulators while maintaining a competitive edge. The Ksa’s record €37m fine against illegal operator EOD Code demonstrates that regulators are becoming increasingly aggressive in protecting the legal perimeter, a trend that the GGL in Germany is also pursuing to ensure a level playing field for licensed companies.

"The gap between the two figures suggests people who gamble illegally lose considerably more on average than those who stay with licensed operators." - Michel Groothuizen, Chairman of the Kansspelautoriteit