Dutch Gambling Market Records Significant Growth in 2023-2024

In recent years, the Dutch gambling market has demonstrated remarkable growth, showing significant progress throughout 2023 and into the beginning of 2024. As the latest figures from the Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) reveal, the legal gambling market’s total gross gaming result (GSR) soared to €4 billion in 2023, marking a robust 21.2% increase compared to the previous year. This upward trend is largely driven by the resurgence of the land-based casino sector post-COVID restrictions and the persistent expansion in online gambling, which continues to gather substantial momentum.

Land-Based Casinos and Online Sector Dynamics

Land-based casinos experienced a notable rebound in 2023, following years of stringent pandemic-related restrictions. For the first time since 2019, the sector operated without any limitations, resulting in a 19% boost in GSR. However, despite this recovery, the numbers still fall short of pre-pandemic levels, with 2019 serving as the comparison benchmark. The revival was chiefly propelled by increased engagement in slot machines and table games.

Meanwhile, online gambling has emerged as a powerhouse in the Dutch gambling scene, particularly in the first half of 2024, where the GSR increased by 8%—from €696 million in the latter half of 2023 to €752 million. The surge in sports betting, intensified by major sporting events, significantly contributed to this growth. Moreover, online casino games against the house, such as table games and slot machines, accounted for 72% of the total GSR in early 2024, highlighting the digital platform's dominance in the market.

Market Trends and Future Outlook

Lotteries and casino games have firmly established their dominance within the Dutch gambling market. In 2023, lotteries made up 30% of the total GSR thanks to contributions from major players like the National Postcode Lottery, Staatsloterij, and VriendenLoterij.

Casino games, on the other hand, generated €2.4 billion, accounting for 61% of the market share, with 45% arising from online platforms, underscoring the thriving digital gambling sector.

Sports betting, although the smallest market segment, displayed noticeable growth. It experienced a 9.7% rise in GSR from €318 million in 2022 to €349 million in 2023. Online sports betting, legalized in October 2021, now represents a substantial 83% of this segment. The average number of active online gambling accounts also saw a significant rise in 2023 and early 2024, with 1.07 million accounts active monthly. Despite the account increase, active players averaged around 455,000 per month due to multi-account holdings.

By early 2024, 5.4% of the Dutch adult population participated in online gambling, predominantly with licensed operators. Though the Dutch spend less on gambling compared to their European counterparts—with an average spending of €272 per adult in 2023—the market continues to expand. Online gambling expenditure was €158 per month on average in early 2024. Young adults (18-23 years), though comprising 10.8% of the GSR, tend to have lower losses, averaging €55 monthly.

The number of people seeking gambling addiction treatment also rose by 28% in 2023, partly due to improved data from treatment facilities. Nevertheless, using consistent data sources, the increase stands at around 16%. Overall, the Dutch market shows a strong growth trajectory driven by online gambling while land-based casinos recover at a slower pace.

Source: ''State of affairs of the Dutch gambling market 2023-2024'', kansspelautoriteit.nl, October 10, 2024.

By GamesAndCasino