Stronger Player Protection Rules Continue to Reduce Extreme Gambling Losses, Says Dutch Regulator

Stricter Deposit Limits Lead to Safer Gambling Habits

To reduce the risk of problem gambling, the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security (J&V) introduced mandatory checks and contact moments for players who attempt to set high deposit limits. Players under the age of 24 now need to speak with an operator before setting a deposit limit above €150 per month, while older players face the same requirement at a €350 threshold.

These measures have proven effective: the number of players setting high deposit limits has dropped by more than 50%.
 

Net Deposit Rules Drive Down High-Risk Gambling

Further regulations require operators to conduct affordability checks when a player deposits more than €300 (young adults aged 18–24) or €700 (adults 24 and older). If no affordability check is completed or the player is found unable to afford the deposit, gambling companies must block further deposits for the rest of the month.

This policy has significantly reduced risky behavior:

• The share of players exceeding deposit limits fell from 9.7% to 2.2%.
• Among young adults, that figure dropped from 12% to 1.9%.
   

Average Monthly Losses Drop by 31%

The lower deposit thresholds have also contributed to a 31% decrease in average losses per player account, from €116 to €80 per month. Meanwhile, the average number of accounts per player remains unchanged at 2.4. This suggests players are not shifting to other legal providers to bypass the rules.

Legal Market Sees Reduced Losses but Possible Shift to Illegal Sites

Despite the positive impact on player behavior, the gross gaming result (BSR)—calculated as deposits minus payouts—for legal operators dropped 8% year-over-year. Before the rule changes, around 4% of players lost more than €1,000 per month. Today, that figure has dropped to just 1%, showing that extreme gambling is being curbed within the regulated market.

However, this may be pushing heavy gamblers toward unlicensed platforms. Search volumes for the top 100 illegal gambling websites have increased, hinting at potential growth in the illegal market.

Player Channelling Remains Strong at 93%

Crucially, 93% of players continue to use only legal online gambling providers, a figure unchanged from previous studies. While this high player-based channelling rate indicates strong trust in the licensed market, the Ksa notes that channelling based on monetary value (total spend) is not yet available due to technical limitations. These data will be included in a forthcoming report on the effects of increased gaming taxes, expected later this month.