Netherlands Continues to Reduce Heavy Gambling Losses Through New Player Protection Rules
The Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) has released its second report evaluating the effectiveness of new player protection measures introduced in the second half of 2024.
Results of the New Rules: Fewer Losses and Better Limit Control
The new measures, implemented by the Ministry of Justice and Security, are showing a consistently positive impact.
Players with high deposit limits are now required to make direct contact with the operator before increasing their limit beyond €150 (for players aged 18–24) or €350 per month (for those 25 and older). This has helped reduce such cases to below 50%.
Additionally, if a player exceeds €300 (young players) or €700 (adults) in deposits, operators must assess the player’s financial capacity. If no proof is provided, deposits are blocked until the end of the month.
Key Figures
| Metric | Before Rules | After |
|---|---|---|
| Players with high deposit limits | — | < 50% |
| Players exceeding limits | 9.7% | 2.2% |
| Young players exceeding limits | 12% | 1.9% |
| Average loss per account | €116 | €80 |
| Players losing over €1,000 | 4% | 1% |
Young Players Under Special Supervision
Restrictions for users aged 18–24 have proven particularly effective. With the introduction of pre-verification, the share of young players exceeding deposit limits dropped from 12% to just 1.9%.
Across all age groups, average losses per player have fallen by 31%. These results confirm the effectiveness of the new safeguards in helping prevent the harmful effects of excessive gambling.
Financial Outcomes: Drop in GGR and Increased Interest in Illegal Sites
The overall gross gaming revenue (GGR) of licensed operators fell by 8% compared to the previous year, indicating reduced activity from high-spending players on legal platforms.
At the same time, channelization remains high — 93% of players continue to use licensed platforms only.
However, there’s a noticeable increase in search activity for the top 100 unlicensed gambling websites, which may signal a rise in interest in the unregulated market.
What Is Channelization?
Channelization refers to the share of players who choose legal operators. In the Netherlands, this rate remains at 93%, despite the tightened regulations.
Conclusion: The Rules Are Working, But the Risk of Migration to Unregulated Sites Is Growing
- New deposit limits and verification checks have significantly reduced high gambling losses.
- Young players are less likely to exceed permitted deposit limits.
- Average losses per player dropped by one-third.
- No surge in the number of player accounts — an average of 2.4 accounts per person remains stable.
- The rising interest in illegal sites calls for further monitoring and regulatory action.
The results clearly show that stricter measures — especially mandatory operator contact and financial checks — are helping reduce excessive losses.
However, to prevent a shift toward unlicensed operators, regulators must closely monitor high-risk player behavior and publish more detailed data on financial channelization trends.