Increase in gambling tax: Providers experience consequences
The increase in the tax rate in the Netherlands is resulting in a decrease in revenue from gambling tax. This was confirmed by the Kansspelautoriteit.
The increase in the tax rate in the Netherlands is resulting in a decrease in revenue from gambling tax. This was confirmed by the Kansspelautoriteit.
When the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Dutch gambling regulator, refused to renew Sabofra’s licence, a little-known aspect of Cash Centers was revealed. A request for the publication of documents under the WOO (Wet open overheid) law brought to light some disturbing facts: between 2018 and 2023, Sabofra allegedly facilitated illegal betting via three terminals called Cash Centers. The case also shows an alleged link to money laundering.
In the first quarter of 2025, Unibet recorded a dramatic 41% drop in revenue in the Netherlands compared to the same period in 2024. Ironically, this plunge comes at a time when the number of active users is increasing. How is it that more players did not generate more revenue?
A few days ago, the website casinoreviews.nl, renowned for its reviews of legal casinos, was completely duplicated by a clone hosted on an expired domain (t‑meeting.nl). This clone reproduced the entire content, design, internal links and meta data word for word. This replica, hosted on a reliable previous domain, appeared older to Google, giving it precedence in search results.
Raymond Aronds (chairman of SLICKS) criticized the current use of Cruks on the radio program “Geld of je leven”. Aronds directed his criticism indirectly at politicians, as they are responsible for how this register functions.
In October 2024, FDJ acquired Kindred for approximately €2.5 billion. With this transaction, FDJ United became a major player in online gaming in Europe, with iconic brands such as Unibet, Maria Casino and 32Red. Among the subsidiaries acquired was Trannel International Limited, based in Malta, Unibet’s long-standing operator for several European countries.
Three online casinos have received a warning from the Ksa under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (Wwft). The reason is that three providers allegedly failed to comply with the guidelines within this legal framework.
Imagine an invisible enclosure around online gaming operators: this is what the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) is building to guarantee the integrity of the sector. All license applications require unassailable integrity, assessed through intensive, multi-level verification. This integrity serves three main objectives: consumer protection, addiction prevention and the fight against fraud and crime.
JVH Gaming is known in the Netherlands as the parent company of Jack’s, Flamingo Casino, and Flash Casino. The Council of State has now ruled in their favor in their legal dispute with the Kansspelautoriteit.
What was once a pillar of government communication in the Netherlands has now become a showcase for online casinos operating completely illegally. The ACVZ.org domain, formerly attached to the Adviescommissie voor Vreemdelingenzaken, has been taken over by anonymous players who are now using it to list unregulated gambling platforms, often hosted outside Europe.
The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Dutch gambling authority, is back with a new advertising campaign in its fight against gambling addiction. The aim remains unchanged: to reach out to those who have lost control. But this time, the method is taking a novel twist.
Influencers have a lot of influence on young people. They share their lives daily on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. What they like, young people often like too. If an influencer carries a brand, promotes a drink or shows an online casino, young people easily adopt it. They see it as normal behaviour and don’t always think about it.
Yvon Jansma, a respected figure in the Dutch gambling industry and founder of the Centrum voor Verantwoord Gokken, is not in the habit of jumping to conclusions. In recent days, however, her concerns have reached a critical level.
Since the law on remote gambling came into force in 2021, the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Dutch gaming regulator, has so far imposed more than €56 million in fines on illegal operators. The Ksa was determined to hit back hard. However, a recent report shows that only 2.5% of these fines have been collected.
Not only losses, but also the frequency of players’ play requires supervision by providers, according to the Kansspelautoriteit. They announced this in their newsletter, which urges more scrutiny than just the amount a player loses.
The Nederlands Instituut van Psychologen (NIP) has launched a solemn appeal for better protection for vulnerable groups from the risks associated with online gambling. The organisation, which represents Dutch psychologists, believes that current policies are failing to effectively prevent gambling addiction, leaving the most susceptible gamblers exposed to aggressive commercial strategies.