When we look at the data for 2022, it becomes clear that this was the first complete calendar year for the Dutch online gaming business. The long-awaited Remote Gambling Act (KOA) ultimately passed and was ratified in October 2021, laying the foundation for this growing business. Since the market’s launch two years ago, the figures have been speaking for themselves.
The Net Gaming Revenue (NGR), a key parameter for gauging the health of an industry, is one of the most appealing indicators that have emerged. NGR increased from €2.0 billion in 2021 to €2.0 billion in 2022, a stunning 85.0% increase. This astounding rise was ascribed by the Dutch gambling watchdog, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), to an increase in both land-based and internet gaming. This increase was significantly influenced by the relaxation of Covid-19 pandemic limitations, especially when land-based venues came back to life.
It should be noted that in the Netherlands, land-based venues were shut down until January 25, 2022, with certain limitations continuing until February 25, 2022. As these limitations loosened, there was a noticeable increase in consumer spending and activity in the gaming sector.
Market Composition and Player Behavior
Online casinos made up a lesser portion of the Dutch gambling market in 2022 compared to lotteries and traditional land-based casinos. With a market share of 23% and NGR of €1.9 billion, online casino games. 56% of the licensed market share was accounted for by this sector. Conversely, with a 9% market share, sports betting remained a comparatively minor industry.
In 2022, the typical adult in the Netherlands spent €258 on gambling, a considerable rise from the €158 spent in 2021, according to player behavior analysis. It’s interesting to note that this sum exceeds pre-pandemic levels observed in 2019, when the average expenditure was €221.
The gaming advertising scene saw significant regulatory changes in 2022 thanks to KSA. In June 2022, it put a prohibition on the use of role models in gambling commercials. In July 2023, it tightened that restriction to cover the bulk of gaming advertisements. According to the research, the gaming sector spends “several hundred million euros” on advertising.
Lottery operators, who accounted for 52.4% of ad expenditure on television in 2022, were mostly responsible. Online businesses came in second place, accounting for 40.9% of the advertising budget.
The KSA research also notes that in 2022, casino games would account for €1.9 billion of the overall NGR, with €1.1 billion coming from country-specific casino games. Additionally, there were 373 gaming tables at Holland Casino in 2022, an increase of 5.3%.
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