A misleading video is currently circulating on social media. Thanks to artificial intelligence, the image and voice of YouTuber Kalvijn have been misused to promote an illegal online casino.
At the Annual Gaming Industry Event in Amsterdam on 16 January 2026, Michel Groothuizen, chairman of the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), gave a speechin which he presented the Dutch regulator’s new roadmap for the coming year.
In the world of offshore casinos, dodging fines is child’s play. By using volatile legal structures that they liquidate at the slightest sanction, they make recovery impossible and continue their activities with impunity.
The legal gambling market is under pressure, while the illegal one is growing. Dutch State Secretary Arno Rutte is worried. Heavy gamblers, in particular, are seeking refuge outside the licensed offer.
Esmee Ipema, a well-known personality among Dutch television viewers, is using her fame to promote gambling platforms that operate outside the legal framework.
No age verification, no license, but betting with autoplay was fully available. For thousands of Dutch people, it was child’s play to gamble on banned sites. Now, the foreign gambling company Starscream Limited is being presented with the bill: a fine of over 4.2 million euros.
They lost thousands of euros in just a few clicks. Young adults were given free rein to keep gambling at ComeOn casino. The Kansspelautoriteit is now intervening and imposing a fine of 750,000 euros.
In the Netherlands, gambling is a growing part of everyday life, but the mechanisms involved, the risks and the means of prevention are often poorly understood. That’s why OpenOverGokken.nl has launched new educational content to explain gambling in simple language, accessible to everyone, without minimising the risks or dramatising the practices.
Rather than imposing a strict separation for hybrid brands – companies offering both online and physical gaming – the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security has opted for a more flexible framework.
The police paint a disturbing picture of poaching in the Netherlands. Behind the scenes, betting is playing an increasingly important role.
‘We’ve reached the end of the line.’ That’s how a spokesperson for Circus Gran Casino described the closure of their branch at Maastricht Aachen Airport. According to the company, the increased gambling tax has made it no longer viable to continue operating.
Since January 1, Nederlandse Loterij has rolled out a new graphic identity for six of its lottery brands, including the famous Staatsloterij and Lotto. This standardization aims to strengthen the link between the games and the parent company, ahead of a historic year of celebrations for the group.
Gambling addiction no longer affects only adults of a certain age, but is becoming widespread among young people. As online gambling becomes commonplace, technology makes it accessible at any time, and its promotion expands, the consequences are being felt even in specialised care services.
What are Holland Casino’s actual practices regarding payout rates to players (RTP)? Why are the authorities remaining silent on this sensitive issue?
The figures are painful and confronting. Since 2013, Unibet received hundreds of distress alerts from players who indicated they no longer wanted to live. The operator stresses that each report is an alarm bell – not just for the company, but for the entire industry.
The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) is facing a new chapter. From 1 January 2026, the regulator will have a revamped board structure with one full-time chairman and two part-time board members. This change should make the Ksa more responsive to the rapidly changing gaming market and new challenges such as digitalisation and illegal supply.
A warning with weight. The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) has given TOTO Online an official instruction for breaching the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act (Wwft). According to the regulator, the provider, known for operating TOTO and Winnitt, did not sufficiently monitor customers and money flows.
