Abbie Chadwick
The most recent online gambling report, published by the Dutch Gaming Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) on October 5, unveiled the industry’s growth continued, albeit at a slower pace, over the past six months. According to the report, the Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), reflecting the difference between the amount wagered and the amount won by players, for the year that started August 2022 and ended July 2023 amounted to €1.33 billion.
The recorded GGR growth for the period from August 2022 to January 2023 was 33%, compared with 8% for the period from January 2023 to August 2023. With the number of player accounts remaining essentially the same, the market exhibited a tendency toward settling down following its launch two years ago.
René Jansen, Chairman of the Board of the Kansspelautoriteit, commented on the findings of the fifth monitoring report, confirming the market’s leveling off. He added that the Netherlands’ gambling landscape developed in line with expectations. The regulator’s strict monitoring procedures ensured continued growth, with the main priorities set on players’ safety, addiction prevention, and safer gambling practices.
KSA’s Report Provides Insight into Several Important Aspects of the Dutch Gambling Market
The fifth report of the Netherlands’ Gaming Authority provided insight into several key aspects of the gambling market. These include the number of registered accounts, the size of accumulated gambling losses, the rate of the market channelization, the number of young adults engaged in gambling, the number of self-excluded players, and the new law on gambling ads.
Starting with the number of active accounts as of July 2023, the report estimated they were 826,000, compared with 859,000 active player accounts as of January 2023. This does not necessarily reflect the number of actual players involved in gambling, as one player can have more than one account. According to the report, 676,000 players gambled online in the last six months, representing 4.7% of the adult population.
According to the findings of the fifth gambling report, the volume of the average gambling losses accumulated over a period starting January and ending July 2023 amounted to €1017 per player or €170 per month.
The next key aspect covered by the report involves the rate of current market channelization (or the percentage of players who create accounts with legal online gambling providers in a safe and properly regulated environment). The rate of 93% aligns with the initially set objective when the online gambling market was launched. The percentage rises to 98% for new players (ones who did not engage in gambling before the market was legalized).
The report further revealed that young adults gambled with 170,000 active accounts, representing 21% of the total number of active accounts as of July 2023. This marked a slight decrease from 184,000 accounts as of January 2023.
The number of self-excluded gamblers is yet another important aspect of the report. As of August 2023, the Central Exclusion Register (CRUKS) revealed there were 48,000 self-excluded individuals. This figure rose to 50,000 only after a month.
Finally, the report indicated that following the ban on gambling ads, introduced on July 1, the number of television advertisements was reduced to zero.