Netherlands: legal online gambling market slows as the shadow of illegal play grows
After years of uninterrupted growth, the Netherlands’ legal online gambling sector is showing its first signs of slowdown. The latest Monitoringsrapportage najaar 2025 from the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling authority, describes a “turning point” in the market’s trajectory. This change comes in the wake of new measures introduced in 2024 aimed at strengthening player protection.
While these tighter regulations – including deposit limits and income verification requirements – have improved consumer safety, they have also impacted the profitability of the regulated sector. According to the KSA, the downside of this shift is an economic cooling of the legal market and a growing appeal of illegal operators.
User numbers rise, but revenue contracts
In the first half of 2025, the brutospelresultaat (BSR) – the difference between wagers and winnings paid out – reached €600 million. This marks a 16% drop compared to the €697 million recorded in the second half of 2024. The KSA attributes this decline primarily to the new restrictions, which have curbed average player spending.
Paradoxically, even as revenue falls, user activity continues to climb. The number of active monthly accounts rose from 1.18 million in late 2024 to 1.29 million in the first six months of 2025. Yet this growth conceals a behavioural loophole: around 7.1% of these accounts are newly opened, indicating that many players register with multiple operators to bypass deposit caps.
Overall, the KSA estimates that 839,000 Dutch adults participated in legal online gambling during the first half of 2025 – equivalent to 5.7% of the adult population, a slight increase from 5.4% in the previous six months.
Losses decline, but young players remain at risk
While turnover slows, player losses show a more positive trend. The average player lost €119 per month in 2025, compared to €146 at the end of 2024 – a significant decrease that suggests the effectiveness of responsible gaming measures.
However, young adults aged 18 to 24 remain a key concern. Although they represent only 9.3% of the adult population, they account for 23% of all active accounts – a disproportionate figure that underlines their heavy engagement with online gambling. Encouragingly, their average losses remain lower than those of older players: €37 per account per month, compared with €78 among older adults.
The KSA notes that this demographic is particularly drawn to sports betting, a segment that continues to captivate younger audiences through its fast-paced, competitive appeal. Yet, as the authority warns, this enthusiasm can quickly tip into riskier behaviour if not properly monitored.
The expanding shadow of the illegal market
The most alarming figure in the KSA’s autumn report concerns market channelisation – the proportion of gambling activity taking place on licensed platforms. While 94% of players continue to gamble exclusively on legal sites, the share of total gambling spend within the regulated market has fallen from 51% in 2024 to 49% in the first half of 2025.
That two-point drop may seem minor, but it signals a deeper shift. A growing portion of player expenditure is now flowing towards unlicensed, often offshore, operators. The KSA attributes this migration to frustration among players who perceive the legal market’s safeguards as overly restrictive.
In illegal environments, these limits vanish – there are no deposit caps, no income checks, and little oversight. However, this freedom comes at a cost: players lose all consumer protection and have no security over their funds or personal data. The authority calls this trend “concerning” and warns that it threatens to undermine the achievements of recent regulatory reforms.
Balancing protection with market appeal
The 2025 Monitoringsrapportage portrays a delicate balancing act. Consumer protection policies are working, but they are also reshaping the dynamics of the legal market. The challenge now facing regulators is how to sustain these safety measures without driving players into the arms of unlicensed competitors.
The KSA acknowledges that keeping the legal market attractive – through competitive products, fair play conditions, and effective communication – will be just as important as maintaining strict safeguards. The authority’s next steps will therefore focus on ensuring that regulation and innovation advance hand in hand.
Ultimately, the future of the Dutch online gambling market will depend on the country’s ability to strike the right equilibrium: a framework that prioritises player safety while preserving the vitality and trust that make the regulated system sustainable. Only by maintaining this balance can the Netherlands continue to lead by example in promoting a responsible, transparent, and secure gambling environment.
This article was first published in Italian on 14 October 2025.
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