iGaming

Dutch online gambling revenue rebounds in 2026 despite deposit limits

The regulator reported a market shift, with players opening multiple accounts to handle monthly deposit limits introduced in 2024.

By Erin Kowalski, Editor-in-Chief
October 30, 2026

Licensed online gambling revenue in the Netherlands increased by about 11% in the first half of 2026 compared to the previous six months, according to the Kansspelautoriteit. The regulator estimated licensed operators generated roughly €670 million from January to June. Casino games accounted for 73% of that total, while sports betting made up 24%. The KSA said the rise in sports betting and overall revenue may be linked to the men’s FIFA World Cup. The licensed market’s share of total gross gaming yield was estimated at 59% for the period.

Player behaviour showed a significant shift, with the number of active accounts rising to 1.48 million while the number of individual players fell to 820,000. The KSA said this difference "suggested that people may be using multiple accounts more often." It connected this trend to consumer responses to regulatory changes, including the net deposit limits introduced in October 2024. Those limits capped monthly deposits at €300 for young adults and €700 for everyone aged 24 and above.

While most players used licensed sites, the illegal market captured a large portion of revenue. The regulator estimated that between 94% and 97% of customers played on licensed platforms, but those licensed sites accounted for only 59% of total market revenue. This gap suggests players on unlicensed sites lose more money on average. The KSA estimates that each month, about 20,000 people gambled exclusively with unlicensed operators and another 10,000 used both licensed and unlicensed sites.

Average monthly losses were €75 per active account, but a separate calculation accounting for multiple accounts put the figure at €137 per person. For accounts held by 18 to 23 year olds, the average monthly loss was €34. Young adults represented 22% of legal gambling accounts, a share disproportionate to their 9.2% portion of the adult population. The regulator noted a pronounced surge in account registrations on or shortly after an individual’s 18th birthday.

Demand for problem gambling support continued to grow. The number of people receiving specialized treatment where gambling was the primary problem rose 14% to 3,108 in 2025. The national self-exclusion register, Cruks, added an average of about 2,076 people per month. Online advertising by licensed operators fell by about 33% in the first half of 2026. The government tabled a near-total ban on online gambling advertisements in June.