The SP and ChristenUnie have proposed a Private Member's Bill to strengthen protections for online gamblers in the Netherlands.
The parties cite rising player numbers and associated social problems as the motivation for their initiative. It is important to note that neither party is part of the ruling coalition.
ChristenUnie parliamentary leader Mirjam Bikker emphasised that online gambling has become increasingly normalised in everyday life.
Bikker stated: “The slot machine is now literally in your pocket and everywhere in shopping streets you see gambling advertisements. It is time for a complete advertising ban.”
Back in 2021, supporters of liberalisation had argued that legal offerings would draw players away from the illegal market. The two parties claim that the opposite has occurred, with no effective channelisation and a significant surge in online gambling.
The proposed bill sets out stricter regulations for gambling operators. Under the legislation, operators would face significantly higher fines for regulatory violations, including penalties based on turnover of up to 100%.
The bill would also allow for quicker suspension of licences in cases of misconduct and suggest more effective measures to prevent illegal online gambling.
It includes a complete ban on advertising for online gambling and proposes strengthening the national gambling self-exclusion register (Cruks), extending the minimum exclusion period from six months to 12 months.
A recent Consumentenbond study examined how legal and illegal online gambling companies advertise on Facebook, Instagram and Google, as well as whether they comply with regulations.
Consumentenbond is a Dutch consumer organisation that protects and informs consumers, conducts research and advocates for fair market practices.
Over the past 12 months, young adults aged 24 to 35 were exposed to 342 million gambling advertisements.
Licensed operators published a total of 28,715 ads on Facebook and Instagram during this period, which were shown 862 million times, with 342 million impressions reaching the 24–35 age group.
Toto Casino, which is 99% state-owned, was the largest online advertiser, running 13,000 different ads that appeared 150 million times, including 70 million impressions among young adults.
The study also found that illegal gambling ads reached teenagers, with four unlicensed sites on Meta platforms shown 500,000 times to users aged 18 to 24.
The Coalition Government is in the process of drafting new regulations
