Efforts by the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) to enforce responsible gaming rules appear to be paying off. According to the latest monitoring report, major player losses have declined significantly following the introduction of new measures in October 2024. These changes, including deposit limits and stricter controls, have resulted in fewer accounts showing extreme losses, although the growth of the illegal market remains a concern.

New rules lead to drop in high-risk player losses:

The report highlights that the gross gaming result (GSR)—the difference between total wagers and payouts—reached €1.47 billion in 2024, marking a 6% increase over the previous year. However, the GSR in the second half of 2024 declined by 10% compared to the first half. This dip may reflect a temporary boost during the European Football Championship in June or the impact of newly introduced regulations that curb excessive spending.

A major focus of the report is the noticeable decline in accounts suffering large losses. Before October 2024, 4% of gambling accounts saw monthly losses exceeding €1,000. After the regulations came into effect, that figure fell sharply to 1.2%. In terms of revenue distribution, before the rule change, 73% of operator earnings came from such high-loss accounts. That number has since dropped to 23%, signaling a shift toward healthier gambling behavior among players.

In its press release, the KSA has placed increased attention on young adults aged 18 to 23, a group deemed more vulnerable to gambling-related harm. This demographic makes up 9% of the adult population but was responsible for 11% of all losses in the latter half of 2024. Though they spend less on average—around €48 monthly compared to €148 for older adults—young players are more likely to bet on sports, allocating 29% of their gambling funds to sports wagers, versus 22% for other age groups.

Meanwhile, enforcement against unlicensed operators continues. The KSA recently fined Techno Offshore Limited €1.2 million for offering illegal gambling services through websites such as nolimitbet.com and simplecasino.com. These platforms failed to apply age verification, used autoplay features, and allowed crypto payments—all of which are prohibited under Dutch law.

“Licensed providers in the Netherlands must comply with all kinds of rules to protect players from gambling addiction,” said KSA Chair Michel Groothuizen. “We take tough action against these types of parties, because they attract players to illegal offerings and players are insufficiently protected there.”

Player activity trends and market channeling:

The average number of gambling accounts in use per month reached 1.19 million in the second half of 2024, slightly up from 1.1 million six months prior. While one person may operate several accounts, KSA estimates place the number of individual active players with legal operators at approximately 788,000, or 5.4% of the adult population. This is nearly identical to the previous reporting period.

Despite strong player channelization—91% of individuals gamble with legal providers—only half of all gambling money is spent within the regulated market. The other 50% is funneled through illegal platforms, posing a challenge for authorities aiming to ensure player protection.

At the same time, self-exclusion tools are seeing wider use. As of January 2025, 87,345 people had registered with the Cruks self-exclusion system, with half of them aged under 32. Among these, 16% are classified as young adults, aligning with the broader concern around this age group.