Upcoming Online Gambling Regulations in the Netherlands

The government in the Netherlands has released additional gambling regulations to support the steps outlined in the Remote Gaming Act. They include a prohibition on the use of any sports teams in commercials. Sponsorships would still be allowed, though there are some changes in the amendments to bonusing laws. The Dutch government specifies how online gambling will be done in the Netherlands. We expect the proposed regulations to occur by the end of the year when online gambling will be legalised.

The government in the Netherlands has released additional gambling regulations to support the steps outlined in the Remote Gaming Act. They include a prohibition on the use of any sports teams in commercials. Sponsorships would still be allowed, though there are some changes in the amendments to bonusing laws. The Dutch government specifies how online gambling will be done in the Netherlands. We expect the proposed regulations to occur by the end of the year when online gambling will be legalised.

The previous versions of the law included regulations that protected underage people and tried to steer them away from gambling. Using sporting celebrities to advertise gambling was prohibited. High-performance athletes are considered role models, so the government didn’t allow any commercials about betting to include them. 

With the latest changes in gambling regulations, the use of all celebrities to advertise gambling was banned. Many famous figures have nothing to do with sports that young people find appealing and look up to. With the latest edition of the law, they cannot take part in online gambling adverts.

The New Changes Might Be Concerning

Many gambling operators raised their concerns regarding these law changes. They stated that putting limits and restricting marketing, while beneficial, can also harm the players. One of the significant issues they brought up was funnelling. The government answered their concerns by explaining how the protection of the players must be a priority. 

The elimination of funnelling is something they want to reach, but it cannot be a target by itself. They explained that their goal is a well-regulated and controlled market in which there will be no room for funnelling. With the new law changes of the regulations, the registration fee for licenses will be €48.000.

Sports Betting Prohibitions

In addition, there are some changes to the laws regarding sports betting. Gambling operators were prohibited from taking bets from many football competitions. There will be no more betting on games from the 3rd Dutch division or any division below it. 

Furthermore, bets cannot be placed on games where the players are under the age of 21. These changes also ban betting on any friendly football match that FIFA does not organise. Major football events like UEFA and FIFA competitions are permitted to gamble on. Betting on games that the Netherlands national team plays is also allowed. ATP and WTA tennis, horse racing organised by the Dutch Trotting and Racing Foundation, or European or global sports governing bodies are all allowed in other sports.

Casino Regulations

Following meetings and many consultations, another series of amendments were introduced. The ability to grant benefits and bonuses to players who do not explicitly choose to accept them was enforced. The players who have undergone an intervention for their gambling activities looked at a 60-day bonus ban before. 

With the new rules, the length of the incentive restriction relies on the type of intervention used. For smaller and lighter procedures, shorter bans are allowed, and for other cases, more control and more extended periods are required.

Since lottery operators are not expected to follow the same intervention policy as gambling operators, lottery companies are no longer required to enrol in addiction prevention classes. As a result, the course has been determined to be superfluous. 

In regards to online casinos, the new changes made it illegal for them to offer timed bonuses. Also, all casino players must analyse the risk before they start playing any casino game. 

There is a strong emphasis on how the gambling operator must react when a player exhibits dysfunctional behaviour signs. It is required to establish various technological standards to help the player out. In such cases, the online casino must include self-exclusion systems such as Cruks (Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen).

The Latest Changes And Their Impact

The Dutch legislation on online gambling was scheduled to take effect on April 1st. The internet market is supposed to open in 6 months. At first, the KOA was due on July 1st, 2020, meaning that the market should’ve been opened in early 2021. Regrettably, the act’s launch date was pushed back for six months in November 2019, and now the market will be opened on July 1st, 2021. 

The launch was again postponed to September 2021. Minister of Legal Protection Sander Dekker reported a third one-month extension last month. Dekker explained that he believed that a slower introduction would result in a more robust regulatory environment.

Although these changes might cause some concerns for many online casinos and sportsbooks, it’s worth noting that the Dutch government is doing this primarily for the security of its citizens. Safe & regulated online gambling platforms shouldn’t be concerned with these changes, as the impact would be minimal where authorities respect the law.

Reference: Nieuwe.casino