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Netherlands Gambling Laws

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The main focus of this article is the gambling laws in the Netherlands. Besides them, you can also find details about the legal and illegal games offered in gambling locations. To make the article more interesting, we added a list of the top online and land-based casinos Netherlands players can enjoy. There is an interesting FAQ section at the end, so stay with us until the end.

Netherlands Gambling Regulation & Laws

The Dutch gambling regulation is inherited from the Ancient Roman gambling laws, Viking gambling, and the betting practices of Gauls, German, and other tribes occupying present-day Netherlands provinces. An interesting historical fact is that the first state-issued gambling and betting activities licence was issued in the 14th century. In 1726, the longest-running lottery in the world started – the Dutch state-owned Staatsloterij.

Modern Gambling Laws in the Netherlands

The Dutch gambling law evolved into the 1964 Betting and Gaming Act. This law still regulates the gambling industry in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Besides this main regulation, there are many gambling laws Netherlands’ operators must follow. We collected some of the most important ones in the following table:

📅 Year 🌷 Netherlands Gambling Laws
✔️ 1961 Betting and Gambling Tax Act
✔️ 1964 Betting and Gambling Act
✔️ 1977 Sanctions Act (Economic Offences Act)
✔️ 2008 Media Act
✔️ 2019 Remote Gambling Act (KOA)
✔️ 2021 Betting and Gaming Act (BGA), Betting and Gaming Tax Act (BGTA)

Even if you don’t know anything else about the Netherlands’ gambling laws or games, remember that the legal gambling age is 18 years. The second thing a Dutch player must remember is to pay a 30.1% winner tax on all betting and lottery games in case of winning a prize over €449. No tax is due for lower prizes or when the losses exceed the prizes.

Those and more rules can be found in the gambling legislation of the Netherlands. In the next section of this blog post, we will tell you more about the gambling authorities and the Dutch gambling licence. After that, you can learn more about the differences between land-based and online gambling regulations and how the Kingdom of the Netherlands deals with gambling addiction.

Netherlands Gambling Authority: NOGA & KSA

The Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit/KSA) was created in 2012, and this allowed the land-based Holland Casino to open more casinos in the Netherlands. Each gambling location in the country needs one or more of the following types of KSA gambling licences:

  • 🎰 Gaming Machine Licence
  • 📅 Multi-Year Licence
  • 📆 Non-Recurring Licences
  • 🏟️ Non-Remote General Betting Operating Licence
  • ✨ Operating Licence
  • 💻 Remote Gambling Licence
  • 📜 Single Licence

The Netherlands gambling regulation for brick-and-mortar casinos expanded, and in 2021, the Remote Gambling Act in the Netherlands was accepted. There is more to learn about the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA), and the first remote gambling licences granted to 10 NOGA members in 2021.

According to the Dutch gambling laws, any land-based or foreign operator with headquarters in the Netherlands can apply for a gambling licence. Getting a Dutch online gambling licence is an easy procedure with simple rules mandatory to all operators who wish to offer their services to the Dutch players.

Legal Casino Games & Sports Gambling In the Netherlands

The main reason for the creation of the gambling laws in the Netherlands was the different wagering games people played that needed regulation. Today, every operator needs a Dutch gambling licence to offer the top 10 casino slots in the Netherlands for 2022 or either one of the following games:

  • ♥️ Bacc arat
  • 🎱 Bingo
  • ♠️ Blackjack
  • 🎲 Craps
  • 💻 eSports
  • 🤝 Exchange Betting
  • ⚔️ Fantasy Sports
  • 🏇 Horse Races
  • 🤑 Live Betting
  • 🔮 Lottery
  • 🎡 Money Wheel
  • 🃏 Poker
  • ♦️ Punto Banco
  • 🎊 Roulette
  • 🎴 Scratch Cards
  • ♣️ Sic Bo
  • 🎰 Slots
  • 🏐 Sports Betting (Fixed Odds)
  • 🕹️ Video Poker
  • 🤖 Virtual Sports

The Dutch gambling laws also allow many of the modern variations of casino and wagering games. All games are monitored for fair play by the Netherlands Gaming Authority and independent regulators like eCOGRA and Verispect.

Interestingly, in 2012 UNESCO recognised the Dutch horse races as Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the oldest races date back to the 1750s and even earlier. It is impossible to tell how many people won the highest gambling wins in the Netherlands through the history of wagering in this country, but they were more than enough for gambling games to continue for so long.

Gambling Laws in the Netherlands

The Dutch gambling law formed the base of legal gambling in the country and gave freedom of action to the Dutch Gambling Association. Beyond the legal binderies, the operators have to create and follow various rules for lowest and highest possible bets. When it comes to the fans of high stakes, they all know the Dutch high roller betting guide by heart and apply the tips and strategies in their games.

Netherlands Gambling Laws for Brick-and-Mortar Casinos

Reading Legal books
All gambling laws in the Netherlands we listed at the beginning of this article apply to land-based gambling locations. In 1996, Holland Casino got a permanent casino gaming licence called “Beschikking Casinospelen”, which is valid for all casinos part of the franchise.

After the last changes in the Netherlands’ online gambling laws, Holland Casino now has a great online version, which players can enjoy as well.

Besides casinos, Dutch players can play lottery games at land-based kiosks. The Dutch State Lottery also called Staatsloterij BV (Staatsloterij), is the monopolist on the market. There are also exclusive semi-permanent licences like sports betting (Lotto BV), Totalisator (ZEbetting & Gaming Nederland BV), lotto (Lotto BV), and instant lottery (Lotto BV).

Just like Netherlands players, the operators also pay gambling tax of a 29% Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR). The tax for horse or harness races is 10% GGR from all monthly bets.

The Best Land-Based Casinos in the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Land-Based Casino Roulette Table
The Netherlands gambling laws allow only state-owned casinos owned by Holland Casino.

The good thing about that is that all gambling locations part of this chain offer the same games and the same bonuses.

The payout rate of the games is also quite high – 93% RTP for slot machines and 97.7% RTP for table games.

Here are the fourteen Holland Casinos spread throughout the country:

  • 🌟 Holland Casino Amsterdam
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Bre da
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Eindhoven
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Enschede
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Groningen
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Leeuwarden
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Nijmegen
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Rotterdam
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Scheveningen
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Schiphol
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Utrecht
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Valkenburg
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Venlo
  • 🌟 Holland Casino Zandvoort

The Dutch gambling laws are equally strict towards the top land-based horse racetracks at Drafbaan Groningen (Groningen), Drafcentrum Alkmaar (Alkmaar), Renbaan Duindigt (Duindigt, near The Hague) and Victoria Park (Wolvega near Heerenveen). Besides the legislation, many rules of animal care and race regulations must be followed.

The regulations of the Netherland lotteries in every land-based kiosk and lotto station are also strict. The gambling machines are supervised by the Dutch Measurement Institute and regularly inspected by the independent company Verispect.

Netherlands Gambling Regulations for Online Casinos

The latest changes in the Netherlands gambling regulation legalise gambling at online casinos. In 2021, the new Netherlands online gambling regulation allowed operators to receive licences and open legit gambling sites. Many of them are known as Netherlands’ low wagering casinos, while others are famous for high-stakes games.

Online Gambling Laws for Netherlands Operators

Online Terms and Conditions
The Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) took over the control and monitoring of the legal Netherlands online casino sites. After extensive licensing procedure, by the end of 2021, NOGA certified ten operators, worthy of being called the best Dutch online casino sites.

According to the Remote Gambling Act, the list of legal online games in the Kingdom of the Netherlands includes a vast range of casino games, sports betting, and horse race betting, but the licences do not permit wagering on:

  • 🎱 Long-Od ds Bingo
  • 🧩 Non-Sporting Events Betting
  • 🔗 Not Regulated Blockchains
  • 🔮 Online Lotteries
  • ⭕ Spread Betting

All operators must perform regular fair play checks of the games they offer and allow outside monitoring. Furthermore, each online casino operator in the Netherlands pays a gambling tax of 29% of their GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue) and a 1.95% remote gambling levy over their GGR.

Top Online Casinos in the Netherlands

Online Gambling Games
The current Dutch gambling law is clear on the conditions under which an operator can acquire an online gambling licence.

Don’t be surprised to see certificates from licensing authorities in outer countries.

According to the Remote Gambling Act of 2019, most of the twelve NOGA members applied for and received a licence. Now, Netherlands players can choose to play at the following online gambling sites:

  • ✨ bet3 65
  • ✨ Betent
  • ✨ Bingoal
  • ✨ FPO Netherlands BV
  • ✨ GGPoker
  • ✨ Holland Casino Online
  • ✨ LiveScore
  • ✨ Play North Limited
  • ✨ Tombola
  • ✨ TOTO Online BV

We are certain that soon more international operators will be able to offer their services to the local players. Before jumping into the world of online gambling in the Netherlands, we recommend exploring all gaming options. All in all, it’s always advisable to get acquainted with the 10 things to know before creating an online casino account in the Netherlands.

Responsible Gambling in the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Gambling Addiction Help

One of the most serious matters mentioned in the Netherlands gambling regulation and supportive rules is dealing with gambling addiction. We are glad to say that responsible gambling in the Netherlands is taken very seriously by all operators. Here are several requirements and traits of a licensed Netherlands online casino to check before registering:

  • 📃 Clear Terms & Conditions
  • ✋ Gambling Help Center Contacts
  • 🔞 No Underage Players
  • 💳 Reliable Payment Methods
  • 💵 Self-Exclusion Tools

Adding self-exclusion tools and contacts to gambling addiction helplines like the Loket Kansspel is one of the specifics of the Dutch online gambling regulation. We are glad to inform you that all operators care for their players, and Holland Casino even won the international casino industry Gaming Award for “Most Socially Responsible Business” on 21st January 2008, in London.

Netherlands Gambling Laws Important Questions

Knowing the Netherlands’ gambling laws is the first step towards excellent gambling time. We collected several important questions about gambling in the Netherlands and answered them below. Follow the links to find more details about the laws, licences, and various legal games in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

1️⃣ Is gambling legal in the Netherlands?

According to the Netherlands gambling laws and regulations land-based and online gambling is legal. Players can try either one of the brick-and-mortar Holland Casino locations or register at the online gambling sites. The list of legal games is long and covers the most popular wagering options, lottery, slot machines, and many casino games.

2️⃣ Which gambling games are legal in the Netherlands?

A large part of the gambling laws in the Netherlands is dedicated to the legal gambling games. Netherland players can try various casino and card games, slots, lottery, bingo, horse race wagering, sports betting, and more. Online gamblers can enjoy a lengthy list of legal games with a few exceptions.

3️⃣ Are there casinos in the Netherlands?

The first Dutch gambling law was created in the 14th century to control the wagering over various games. Time passed and the laws changed, and today the interesting trait of the land-based casinos in the Netherlands is that all brick-and-mortar casinos are state-owned. The fourteen venues are under the Holland Casino brand and are scattered throughout the country.

4️⃣ Is online gambling legal in the Netherlands?

The Netherlands gambling regulation’s last updates from 2019 state that online gambling is legal. This includes various casino and card games, horse races, and sports betting. It is best to learn more about the opportunities granted by the online gambling in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and what the different sites offer.

5️⃣ How the Kingdom of the Netherlands fights gambling addiction?

The Dutch gambling laws regulate the legal gambling games, operator’s licences, and all gambling-related matters, including the topic of gambling addiction. According to the law and the health regulations, all operators are obligated to provide responsible gambling tools and information about gambling addiction help and prevention organisations and hotlines.

6️⃣ What are the Netherlands’ gambling laws?

There are many Netherlands gambling laws, but the most important ones are the Betting and Gambling Act and Remote Gambling Act. Those two laws regulate all gambling-related matters in brick-and-mortar casinos and online gambling sites. The laws are created almost 60 years apart but apply to the modern gambling industry.

7️⃣ Who regulates gambling in the Netherlands?

The gambling laws in the Netherlands are applied by the Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) and the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA). Those two agencies have the same authorities and freedom of action, but they are responsible for different gambling areas – the KSA regulates land-based casinos, while the NOGA is responsible for online gambling.

8️⃣ Are online casinos in the Netherlands licensed?

The latest changes in the Dutch gambling law is the Remote Gambling Act regulating all online gambling-related matters. The law was accepted in 2019, and by 2021 there were already 10 licensed operators offering state-approved casino and betting games to online players from the Netherlands.

9️⃣ Which is the best casino in the Netherlands

The first Netherlands gambling regulation was created centuries ago to regulate wagering and betting games. Today, the best brick-and-mortar casinos in the Kingdom of the Netherlands operate according to the latest legislative requirements. All land-based casinos are part of the Holland Casino’s fourteen casinos scattered throughout the country.

🔟 Is online poker legal in the Netherlands?

According to the Dutch gambling laws, online poker is legal alongside the most popular casino and card games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, slots, and their modern variations. You can check the top online casinos in the Netherlands and see what titles each operator decided to add to its games catalogue.

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