Dutch gambling market falls to €4.1 billion

The Dutch regulated market recorded a sharp decline in revenue, particularly among online casino and betting operators. The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) attributed part of the downturn to stricter player protection measures introduced in late 2024. The regulator said the market’s gross gaming result (BSR) fell from €4.5bn in 2024 to €4.1bn in 2025. Online casino revenue declined by 18.2%, while online betting fell by 30.2%. The KSA also reported that licensed operators captured just 59% of online gambling revenue in the first half of 2026, despite around 94% of gamblers using legal platforms exclusively. Online casino BSR dropped from €1.16bn in 2024 to €947m in 2025. Online betting revenue fell from €364m to €254m. The KSA also linked the declines to the implementation of net deposit restrictions in October 2024. Rising gambling levies, and absence of boost in revenues due to the absence of the 2024 European football championship have also played a role. In the land-based segment, while revenue from gaming machines decreased 4.7%, Holland Casino reported a 2.8% gain. Revenue from lottery has been down 1.8%. The number of active online gambling accounts continued to increase, averaging 1.48 million per month in the first half of 2026, compared with 1.38 million in the previous six months. More than 563,000 new accounts were opened, compared to just 529,000 in the second part of 2025. Illegal market captures significant share of revenue The distinction of player-oriented and revenue-oriented channeling is still a topic of concern for authorities. About 94% of gamblers utilized legal service providers, however, licensed establishments were responsible only for 59% of online gambling revenues registered in the first half of 2026 instead of 54% in the second half of 2025. The gap indicates that punters choosing unregulated platforms may lose much more money on average as compared to the players betting through regulated operators. Dutch gambling authorities also registered the increase of treatment demands related to gambling. According to the National Alcohol and Drugs Information System, 3108 people were treated for gambling addiction in 2025 which is an increase of more than 14% compared to 2708 in 2024.