Deposit Caps Reduce Dutch Gambling Losses but Push Some Players Offshore

Efforts by the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) to protect Dutch gamblers have shown early signs of success. New deposit limits introduced in October 2024 appear to have reduced losses and curbed excessive gambling. Still, concerns about illegal betting websites are beginning to grow.

Good to know

• Monthly player losses dropped by 31% after new rules took effect.
• Only 1% of players now lose more than €1,000 monthly, down from 4%.
• Searches for unlicensed gambling sites have increased.

Under the latest regulations, players are blocked from depositing more than €700 in a calendar month. For players aged 18 to 25, that cap is lower at €300. The restriction resets on the first of each month. Since the change, only 2.2% of players exceed their limits—down from 9.7% before the rule took effect. Among young adults, that number fell even further to just 1.9%.

KSA also requires players to confirm if they want to deposit beyond certain thresholds. The system limits young adults to €150 and older players to €350 without additional checks. As a result, fewer than half of users are now going over these thresholds.

Losses and Revenue Slide

Alongside reduced deposits, average monthly gambling losses dropped from €116 to €80—down 31%. The number of players losing over €1,000 per month fell from 4% to 1%. Even with players holding the same average number of accounts, overall losses declined.

The broader market impact is clear. Gross gaming revenue—wagers minus payouts—fell 8% during the eight months after the policy was introduced. KSA believes this proves the measures are helping reduce risky play.

Illegal Sites Drawing More Interest

Despite these gains, there is a downside. Searches for the top 100 illegal gambling sites are up, suggesting more players could be shifting toward unlicensed platforms. The regulator noted this trend and acknowledged that the market’s legal share may be under pressure.

Currently, KSA estimates that 93% of Dutch players are using licensed providers. That is slightly down from a previously claimed 95%, a figure some experts disputed. Data from H2 Gambling Capital puts the legal market at about half of total iGaming activity in the Netherlands.

Higher Taxes May Hurt Legal Market

Adding to the pressure is the recent increase in gambling taxes. The rate rose from 30.5% to 34.2% in January 2025, and will climb again to 37.8% next year. Some believe this could push more operators out of the legal space and steer players toward illegal options.

Trade groups like VNLOK are already raising red flags about the possible consequences. H2 estimates that by 2030, just 45% of online gambling revenue in the Netherlands will come from regulated operators.

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