Dutch law protects Secretary of State Teun Struycken announced plans to set a minimum age limit of 21 for the highest-risk forms of gambling in the Netherlands.
The proposal was outlined in a letter to the Dutch Parliament, as part of broader efforts to strengthen gambling regulation due to concerns about gambling addiction and the effectiveness of existing laws.
Struycken plans to study the potential consequences of policy changes and expects to present a formal legislative proposal early next year.
In addition to the proposed age limit, the Dutch government will also introduce mandatory overall gambling restrictions.
This move aims to prevent players from continuing to play on another platform after reaching the limit on one gambling platform.
Players are only allowed to do so if they can prove that exceeding these limits will not negatively affect their financial situation.
The Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) will also be granted more powers to combat illegal gambling. The Gambling Authority will gain expanded powers to combat illegal operators, including blocking websites and suspending licenses.
Under the new proposal, the regulatory body will be able to block websites, work with internet providers and banks to restrict access to unauthorized operators, and suspend licenses of legal gambling providers if necessary.
Worth noting: Since the legalization of online gambling in 2021, studies have shown that an increasing number of young people are engaging in high-risk gambling, many of whom need addiction treatment.
Struycken acknowledges that the initial regulatory framework did not perform as expected, noting, "Too many groups are playing too risky games, and too many people have ended up in addiction treatment."
However, industry representatives, including the Dutch Online Gambling Association (NOGA), warn that raising the age limit may push younger players towards illegal gambling sites.
NOGA Director Eric Konings emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the fight against unlicensed operators, noting that the Gambling Authority estimates that half of the gambling activities in the Netherlands are conducted illegally.
The Scientific Research and Data Center (WODC) has also provided the government with advice on setting overall gambling limits.
Their research indicates that while personalized gambling limits encourage reduced spending, overall gambling behavior remains unchanged.
