Netherlands Gambling Authority publishes 2022 annual report
The Netherlands Gambling Authority has published its 2022 annual report, the regulator’s first full-year annual report since the Dutch regulated online gambling market opened in October 2021.
Since 2021, the Dutch gambling regulator issued a total of 24 online licenses. 13 license applications are currently still under consideration, the regulator's chair, René Jansen said.
The Dutch regulator further revealed that it had issued fines totaling almost €30m in 2022.
An estimated 85% of online players make use of licensed offerings. Approximately 36,000 individuals are currently registered in CRUKS, the Netherlands’ national exclusion register.
Dutch affiliates send letter to Lower House asking to extend legal bet types
Dutch betting communities and affiliates Oddsbeater, Betmanbegins, Betstreet Boys, and CasinoNieuws have sent a joint letter to the Dutch Lower House requesting an expansion of allowed bet types. At present, Netherlands-licensed operators are prohibited from offering certain bets, e.g., on yellow cards or corner kicks, to their Dutch customers.
According to the letter, this situation entices Dutch punters to place bets with unlicensed operators or through middlemen with foreign operators. The letter cites one case in which a Belgian national accepted bets on behalf of Dutch punters in exchange for a 10% commission.
The letter writers contend that such bets should be allowed in the Netherlands because the associated match-fixing risks can be easily managed. Such an approach would keep more players safe and help in achieving market channelization targets.
European Casino Operations Summit: Exclusive conference for casino operators to take place in Bucharest
With over 30 confirmed speakers and 200 delegates, the 2023 European Casino Summit, scheduled to take place April 25-27 in Bucharest, promises to be a highlight of the year.
Conference topics include the future of land-based gambling, responsible gambling instruments for online gambling, diversity and inclusivity, AML, betting on eSports, and many more.
For the special Gaming in Holland rate, please email Arjan Korstjens at arjan@explayner.com.
Other events
The following events may be of interest to the GiH community:
On March 27, the Gaming Operations Academy will offer a free sample workshop on Zoom on how to maximize your land-based slot revenue.
Dutch game supplier Eurocoin Gaming will hold open house on March 28-29 in Waalwijk. Trade association VAN Kansspelen will hold its spring General Members’ Meeting on March 29 at the same location.
The 2023 Gaming in Spain Conference, which will take place in Madrid, has been rescheduled from March 28 to May 18, 2023. Confirmed speakers include both the current and former leadership of Spain's national regulator DGOJ. Registration is now open!
Don't miss the 2023 Gaming in Holland Conference on June 8, 2023 at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam. Register today!
Dutch government informs Lower House on gambling addiction figures
State Secretary of Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Maarten van Ooijen sent a letter to the Dutch Lower House detailing recent developments in the demand for addiction treatment in the Netherlands.
According to the letter, overall demand for addiction treatment services has declined somewhat since 2019, probably as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic which may have caused a greater reluctance among addiction sufferers to seek immediate help.
An annex to this letter contains specific figures on the demand for gambling addiction treatment services.
In 2016, a little over 2,000 individuals sought treatment for problematic gambling behavior in the Netherlands. In 2021, this number had declined to 1,887 individuals – 3% of the total demand for addiction treatment services.
It should be noted that the impact of the legalization of online gambling in October 2021 is not yet being reflected in these figures.
Other news
Despite issuing a penalty payment, the Netherlands Gambling Authority has so far been unsuccessful in shutting down Netherlands-facing affiliate Casinojager, which features links to illegal gambling websites.
In 2022, Sportradar Integrity Services identified 1,212 matches potentially subject to match-fixing within 12 sports and in 92 countries.
Several betting operators, including Bet365, Flutter Entertainment, Entain, Betsson Group, Betway Group, Yolo Group, Netbet Group, KTO Group, and Rei do Pitaco, have launched a new Brazilian trade association.