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Dutch online gambling trade associations NOGA and VNLOK agree on merger

Dutch sports sponsorship ban enters into force

From 1 July 2025, sponsorship agreements between online gambling operators and athletes, teams, competitions, shirts and other promotional materials will no longer be permitted in the Netherlands.


This marks the end of a two-year transitional period following the general 2023 ban on non-targeted online gambling advertising.


Land-based operators and brands are excluded from the ban.


VIDEO | All 2025 Gaming in Holland Conference sessions now available

Video recordings of all sessions at last month's Gaming in Holland Conference are now available on our YouTube channel.


Earlier, we shared full video recordings of following sessions:


Recordings of all other sessions are now available as well, including:


The Dutch iGaming market in numbers – Josh Hodgson, COO, H2 Gambling Capital:


Holding supplier accountable: Taking a stand against the black market – Christian Heins, Director iGaming at Tipico & Stefan Schulz, Head of Acquisition at Tipico:


A new Dutch disease: Political grandstanding and overhasty market interventions – Peter-Paul de Goeij, former Managing Director at NOGA and Alan Littler, Legal Director at Franssen Tolboom Advocaten:


For all other videos, see here.


Netherlands Gambling Authority hits influencer with €75,000 conditional penalty payment

The Netherlands Gambling Authority has issued a €75,000 conditional penalty payment to streamer LeftlanePapi for promoting unlicensed online gambling offers.


The regulator issued the conditional penalty payment after LeftlanePapi ignored prior warnings from the regulator.


Other streamers and influencers have received warnings as well, the Gambling Authority said.


Netherlands Gambling Authority publishes five focus areas for creating player files

The Netherlands Gambling Authority has published new guidelines aimed at licensed operators for creating player files.


Licensed operators are required to create custom player files in cases in which specific playing behavior triggers problem gambling detection mechanisms. However, the resulting files are not always sufficiently clear and substantiated.


Operators are henceforth asked to:

  1. Clearly substantiate why (or why not) an intervention has occured and why the specific intervention was fitting.

  2. Use clear and specific language to describe behavior and additional risk factors.

  3. Make use of clear and specific timelines.

  4. Which internal department (e.g., RG or AML) is responsible for remarks, findings, or interventions.

  5. Fully document all measures taken, even if some measures are the automatic result of (for instance) a change in risk classification.


The full guidelines are available here.


Number of problem gamblers seeking treatment increased in 2024

A new LADIS (National Alcohol and Drugs Information System) report shows that 2,708 people were treated for gambling addiction in 2024 in the Netherlands – an increase of over 250 individuals.


In treatment centers that have been reporting to LADIS for a longer time, this represents an increase of 2.7%. If treatment facilities are included that did not previously report to LADIS, the total increase is 7.5%.


In response to these new figures, MPs representing CDA, CU, NSC, and SGP have submitted parliamentary questions asking the government to, among other things, impose a blanket ban on gambling.


Meanwhile, a new survey conducted by the Netherlands Gambling Authority among problem gamblers participating in self-help groups found that operator-led interventions were largely ineffective: 68% of respondents had never been contacted personally and 83% were never banned from play.


The survey also found that 81% of respondents began gambling before age 24 and 46% did so before age 18.


Novomatic acquires French Vikings Casinos group

Novomatic has acquired France-based Vikings Casinos group for an undisclosed sum as part of its French expansion efforts.


Vikings Casinos SAS, headquartered in Falaise, is a prominent player in the French gaming industry. The group operates 11 live gaming casinos across France, including venues in high-profile locations such as the Côte d’Azur.


Dutch online gambling trade associations NOGA and VNLOK agree on merger

Dutch online gambling trade associations NOGA and VNLOK have announced plans to officially merge their operations. Under the new plans, all NOGA members with a Dutch remote gambling license will join VNLOK.


VNLOK Chair, Björn Fuchs, commented: "On behalf of the board of VNLOK, I would like to express our gratitude for the efforts of the NOGA board, which will make our joint next step possible – a necessary and logical step, which gives the online gambling industry one clear, united voice towards all relevant stakeholders.”


NOGA Vice Chair, Sanna van Doorn, added: “The Board of NOGA is pleased that, after a long period of cooperation, we are now entering the next phase as a single, united trade association. We are convinced that this will create a broadly representative trade association that will continue to make a relevant contribution to a fundamentally healthy and safe online gambling market in the Netherlands."

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