Netherlands: Illegal Gambling Surpasses the Licensed Market
For the first time since the legalization of online gambling, the Netherlands' shadow sector has overtaken the regulated market. According to the KSA regulator, in the first half of 2025, players spent € 617 million on unlicensed sites — € 17 million more than with licensed operators.
Key Facts
🔵 Legal market GGR in H1 2025: € 600 million (-14% vs H2 2024)
🔵 Illegal sites in H1 2025: € 617 million
🔵 76% of turnover — online casino and live games
🔵 20% — sports betting; 2% — poker and bingo; horse racing — under 0.2%
🔵 839,000 players, or 5.7% of the adult population
Why This Happened
Since October 2024, new player protection rules have been in effect, introducing deposit limits and mandatory income verification for large top-ups. While these measures reduced risk, part of the audience migrated to unlicensed platforms where no restrictions or controls apply.
Player Behavior
🔴 Active accounts: 1.29 million (+9%)
🔴 7% — new users
🔴 Average monthly loss per player: € 119 (-18%)
🔴 55% of players lose less than € 100, but 0.8% lose over € 1,000
Regulator Concerns
🔵 The illegal sector is growing faster than any other
🔵 Players are moving to sites without limits, oversight, or personal data protection
🔵 Legal operators are under increasing pressure from higher taxes
European Context
A similar scenario has already been observed in Sweden and Germany, where strict deposit limits fueled the rise of unlicensed websites. Regulators across Europe are now seeking a balance between player protection and market competitiveness.
Conclusions
🔴 Strict regulation of the legal market creates opportunities for the shadow sector — players move to platforms without limits or monitoring
🔴 Higher taxes and deposit restrictions reduce the appeal of licensed operators
🔴 Illegal platforms gain an advantage in flexibility and responsiveness to player demand
Key Facts
🔵 Legal market GGR in H1 2025: € 600 million (-14% vs H2 2024)
🔵 Illegal sites in H1 2025: € 617 million
🔵 76% of turnover — online casino and live games
🔵 20% — sports betting; 2% — poker and bingo; horse racing — under 0.2%
🔵 839,000 players, or 5.7% of the adult population
Why This Happened
Since October 2024, new player protection rules have been in effect, introducing deposit limits and mandatory income verification for large top-ups. While these measures reduced risk, part of the audience migrated to unlicensed platforms where no restrictions or controls apply.
Player Behavior
🔴 Active accounts: 1.29 million (+9%)
🔴 7% — new users
🔴 Average monthly loss per player: € 119 (-18%)
🔴 55% of players lose less than € 100, but 0.8% lose over € 1,000
Regulator Concerns
🔵 The illegal sector is growing faster than any other
🔵 Players are moving to sites without limits, oversight, or personal data protection
🔵 Legal operators are under increasing pressure from higher taxes
European Context
A similar scenario has already been observed in Sweden and Germany, where strict deposit limits fueled the rise of unlicensed websites. Regulators across Europe are now seeking a balance between player protection and market competitiveness.
Conclusions
🔴 Strict regulation of the legal market creates opportunities for the shadow sector — players move to platforms without limits or monitoring
🔴 Higher taxes and deposit restrictions reduce the appeal of licensed operators
🔴 Illegal platforms gain an advantage in flexibility and responsiveness to player demand