The Dutch government recently released a report on the number of visits to gambling websites in the Netherlands since the opening of the country’s igaming market on 1 October. This report provides valuable data on the impact of regulatory changes and highlights the compliance efforts of operators in the market.
Prior to the opening of the market, the Dutch government made it clear that operators needed to actively offer their services in the local language and provide local payment options to Dutch players. In response to these requirements, several high-profile operators, including Entain, Kindred Group, 888, Betsson, Leovegas, and Casumo, decided to block Dutch customers.
The report categorizes the traffic to gaming websites into three groups: the initial 10 licensees in the Dutch market, websites that chose to block Dutch customers, and unlicensed websites that failed to block access. On 1 October, the traffic to the websites that blocked Dutch customers decreased significantly, although some traffic remained. The report also highlights a slight decline in traffic to the unlicensed operators who did not block Dutch players. However, the licensees experienced a significant surge in traffic since the market opened.
It is important to note that the increase in traffic to licensees does not necessarily indicate more players or greater spending. Nevertheless, the figures reported by Entain and Kindred, following their decision to cut access to Dutch players, prompted H2 Gambling Capital to revise its estimates for the size of the Netherlands’ igaming market, indicating potential growth in the sector.
As of 1 November, the report states that 33 license applications had been submitted, with some still pending. It is anticipated that more applications will be submitted once the cooling-off periods for operators that previously accepted bets from Dutch customers conclude. Additionally, early indications suggest that customers are utilizing the country’s self-exclusion system known as Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen (Cruks). Around 3,500 individuals had registered with Cruks as of 1 November.
The Dutch regulator, de Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), continues to take action against unlicensed operators. In a recent initiative, the KSA selected 25 gambling websites to monitor their compliance with blocking Dutch customers. Additionally, the regulator granted its 11th online gambling license to JOI Gaming, a division of Dutch land-based casino operator JVH Gaming & Entertainment Group. Other notable license holders in the market include Bet365, Tombola (acquired by Flutter), Play North, Holland Casino, Nederlandse Loterij, Toto Online, Janshen Hahnraths Group with FPO Nederland, Betent, Bingoal, NSUS Malta, and LiveScore Malta.
