Dutch Online Gambling Growth and Emerging Addiction Risks

New research reveals that a mere 10% of Dutch inhabitants aged 16 and above have engaged in online gambling within the last year, following the legalization of the market in October 2021. The report, released on January 29 by the Scientific Research and Data Centre (WODC), analyzed gambling trends in the Netherlands using data from three distinct studies conducted post-legalization. Despite the surge in the online sector, traditional gambling remains prevalent, with 64% of Dutch adults participating in offline gambling as of 2024. Lotteries dominated the offline space, accounting for 55% of activities, followed by scratchcards at 21% and bingo at 7%. Interestingly, online sports betting emerged as the only area where digital engagement, at 4%, surpassed offline participation, which stood at 3%.

Younger Demographics Drive Online Growth

The WODC highlighted that 70% of individuals who participated in online gambling in 2024 did so after the market's regulation, pointing to a significant engagement among younger demographics. This trend has sparked concerns regarding potential addiction risks, particularly among young adults managing their own betting accounts. Alarmingly, 18% of these young online gamblers were classified as high-risk, a stark contrast to the 11% observed among all online gamblers. Furthermore, the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) indicated that 10% of online gamblers were at moderate risk for gambling-related issues. The report criticized the Netherlands’ gambling policies, emphasizing the heavy reliance on individual players to self-regulate, which may not adequately safeguard vulnerable younger populations from addiction.

Inadequate Measures and Proposals for Change

The WODC report pointed out deficiencies in existing measures designed to prevent gambling addiction, noting them as 'inadequate', especially with the growing population of new online participants. According to the report, only 24% of online gamblers in 2024 received feedback on their gambling activities through pop-up messages on their screens, and a mere 9% received outreach via chat or email.

Additionally, only 4% had chosen a temporary self-exclusion, while 3% had registered for an involuntary ban. Many problem gamblers were reportedly unaware of tools such as Cruks, the national self-exclusion system. To address these issues, the WODC recommended five key strategies to bolster Dutch gambling regulations. Proposals included centralizing the duty of care rather than leaving it to individual operators, expanding the accessibility of player data for research purposes, and enhancing the authority of the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) for better oversight of licensed operators. Additionally, the report called for stricter actions against unlicensed platforms and better protection for vulnerable groups from gambling advertising, suggesting a shift in focus from preventing gambling addiction to mitigating harm associated with gambling.

Source: Dutch Online Gambling Grows, but Addiction Risks Emerge, lcb.org, February 2, 2025.