Unibet shaken in the Netherlands
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17 Apr 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes Unibet, a major online gaming operator, has seen its turnover in the Netherlands fall by 41% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the previous year. This fall was due to tighter regulations, including a limit on monthly deposits and an increase in gaming tax to 34.2%. Despite an increase in the number of active players, margins were reduced, accentuated by poor results in sports betting. At the same time, channelling to legal operators is declining, while FDJ, Unibet’s parent company, continues to integrate Kindred and withdraw from unregulated markets.
Unibet, a major player in online gambling in the Netherlands, recorded a significant 41% drop in turnover in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. This decrease occurred despite an increase in the number of active players on the platform. The FDJ UNITED Group, which owns Kindred (Unibet’s parent company), attributes this fall to a combination of regulatory and tax factors introduced recently.
Stricter regulations and increased taxation
Since 1 October 2024, the Dutch authorities have introduced strict limits on players’ net monthly deposits. In addition, from 1 January 2025, the tax on gambling has been increased from 30.5% to 34.2% of gross gaming revenue. These measures have had a direct impact on the revenues of legal operators, including Unibet.
In addition, FDJ points out that unfavourable results in sports betting have also contributed to the fall in gross margins, exacerbating the decline in turnover.
A pipeline in decline
Kansspelautoriteit, the Dutch gaming regulator, recently published a report indicating that channelling – the proportion of players using legal platforms – has fallen below 50%. This trend suggests that many players are turning to unregulated operators, potentially attracted by the absence of restrictions and higher taxes.
Ongoing strategic integration
Despite these challenges, FDJ continues to integrate Kindred into its group, with the aim of achieving savings of €50 million by 2027 through operational synergies. At the same time, FDJ has ceased Kindred’s activities in unregulated markets at the end of 2024, reinforcing its commitment to responsible gambling practices that comply with current regulations.