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The Dutch Gaming Authority, known as the KSA, has updated its guidance for online gambling affordability checks after inspections found weak controls at licensed operators. The revised guidance tells operators how to assess whether players can afford higher deposit limits under the Netherlands responsible gambling rules.
Good to know
- Dutch online gambling operators must run a means test above monthly net deposit limits of €300 for players aged 18 to 24 and €700 for players aged 24 and over.
- The KSA says only recurring income can count when operators assess affordability.
- Savings, business assets, home equity, loans, gifts, bonuses, partner income, and earmarked benefits cannot be used as structural income.
KSA Clarifies What Counts As Income
The updated KSA good and bad practices document focuses on one core issue: operators cannot inflate a player deposit limit by counting assets or one off payments as income.
Under the Dutch duty of care framework, licensed online gambling operators must block further deposits once a player crosses the net monthly threshold, unless they can show that the player can bear the financial consequences of more gambling. The Netherlands introduced the €300 and €700 thresholds from October 2024 as part of tighter player protection rules.
The KSA now makes the income calculation more direct. Operators must use structural income, meaning recurring monthly income. They should not count liquid assets, business assets, home equity, one off bonuses, gifts, loans, social benefits set aside for specific costs, or income from a partner.
The clarification follows confusion from earlier guidance published in February 2025. Some operators read that version too broadly and used non recurring assets when setting higher deposit limits. That created higher limits than the KSA considered safe under Dutch online gambling rules.
Checks Found Gaps At Licensed Operators
The KSA reviewed 20 licence holders after issuing the earlier guidance. The regulator found progress in parts of the market, but also saw poor procedures and ongoing non compliance.
Enforcement so far includes 10 improvement interviews, three formal warnings, and one binding instruction. The KSA said it will keep focused supervision on deposit limit checks and responsible gambling files.
For operators, the message is practical rather than theoretical. A means test needs proof, calculation records, and a clear link between monthly income and recreational gambling spend. The KSA also wants operators to store evidence in player records so later reviews can show how a limit was reached.
Recommended practice includes using multiple recent payslips or averaging cumulative pay over a set period. The KSA also points to lower income players, where operators should apply a lower share of net income than the standard 30% when calculating safe recreational spend.
Good And Bad Practice For Dutch Operators
The revised guidance gives examples that online casino and sports betting operators should follow. Good practice includes blocking operator led increases above €300 per month for young adults, even when a young player says they earn enough.
Operators may also allow one one off deposit above the limit before applying a hard cap of €300 or €700 if the player has not completed the means test. Clear documentation also sits high on the list.
The KSA listed 13 bad practice examples. Those include:
- accepting income based only on player self declaration;
- using documents that cannot be traced or verified;
- using the highest payslip instead of an average;
- counting savings, home equity, loans, gifts, bonuses, or partner income;
- treating earmarked social benefits as disposable income;
- applying bonus restrictions for less than the required 30 days after a deposit limit intervention.
The updated guidance lands in a market already under pressure from stricter responsible gambling rules, tax rises, and concerns over channelisation. KSA data published in 2026 showed new rules reduced losses at licensed operators, while some reports have warned that tougher limits can also send heavier spenders toward offshore gambling sites.
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