Gambling is a popular leisure activity that attracts many people all over the globe. What is more, it gives you the opportunity to win some money while enjoying your hobby. The rise of online casinos somehow confused the authorities of many countries. Some countries decided to give a green light to online casinos and attract fresh income to the Treasury. Others were scared to regulate the remote gambling industry due to its addictive nature.
Quite surprisingly, the Netherlands was among these countries that preferred to close its doors to the online gambling industry and not mess up with it. With time passing, casino enthusiasts realized the advantages that come with this form of gambling and started to look for ways to bypass the law and embark on a virtual gambling journey. This made the country’s legislators consider what is the right thing to do – to impose stricter measures or to relax the rules and regulate remote gambling.
Overview of the Netherlands Gambling Industry
The Netherlands is a country that is extremely popular for its liberal approach to many activities that most other countries condemned as improper. However, remote gambling is another story as the Dutch legislators consider that it might imperil the Dutch residents.
It is not a secret that the Netherlands has a stable economy and people are enjoying a high standard of living. Hence, they can afford to spend more funds on their favorite gambling activities. This, on the other hand, poses a good precondition for the development of gambling addiction. Maybe that is the driving force behind the legislators’ decision to outlaw remote gambling.
The Dutch gambling industry has been monopolized since 1970. Only the Dutch state-owned company Holland Casino was authorized to manage the country’s gambling industry, operate the licensed land-based casinos, and oversee every gambling niche. You might be interested to learn that the first Dutch brick-and-mortar casino Zandvoort opened its doors for the first time as far back as 1970.
According to information published on the official site of the Dutch gambling regulator, the revenue generated from the legal gambling sector is over €2 billion.
When online gambling came into play, the Dutch Gaming Authority Kansspelautoriteit made it clear that no online casino operator is allowed to offer its gambling services to Dutch residents and allow them to set up an account at their casinos. Needless to say, the warning did not stop casino operators to target the lucrative Dutch market.
This led to another move by the Dutch regulator. In 2005, Kansspelautoriteit ruled out that operators that are allowing Dutch residents to place bets at their casinos are considered criminals. This did not cause some big changes. The situation went even further and big operators decided to bring this ruling to court. According to them, this is against the EU laws and it should be overturned.
However, the Netherlands Supreme Court banned online gambling, explaining that this move will protect Dutch people from the addictive nature of gambling. Apparently, this did not make aspiring casino fans stop playing at online casinos. The Dutch government started realizing that no matter what they do, they cannot keep track of every corner of the Internet.
The Future of the Netherlands’ Online Gambling MarketThe Dutch government started eyeing the opportunity to regulate the online gambling market. In 2019, the upper house of the Netherland legislature approved the Draft Bill on Remote Gambling Act. This will allow casino operators to apply for a license in the Netherlands and legally offer their gambling services. Under this piece of legislation, operators will be taxed 29.1% of gross revenue.
Players, on the other hand, do not need to pay taxes on their winnings. Currently, it is still illegal to play at an online casino if you are a Dutch resident, but we are expecting that the situation will change in the near future. According to the latest information on the matter, the opening of the market will be delayed until July 2021 to provide the government with more time to craft secondary gambling legislation.
Under the secondary legislation, virtual casinos that have targeted the Dutch market in the 30 months before their license application are not allowed to apply for a license for six months.
Dutch-Friendly Payment Methods
The variety of payment methods is an important aspect when you choose a virtual casino. In that way, you can select which payment solution best suits your needs. Some payment options are quicker than others, but the most important thing is to make sure that you can trust the payment method you prefer to use. In the lines below, we will cast a light on some popular Dutch-friendly payment options.
Bank Cards
Prepaid Cards
Entropay
iDeal
e-Wallets
Exclusive Promotions for Dutch Players
To stimulate players to choose their gaming site, operators offer various promotions that reward new recruits as well as casino patrons. Due to the stiff competition among virtual casinos, each operator is trying to craft unique promotions. Needless to say, some are more generous than others. When you are hunting for the best offers, do not forget to check the bonus terms in order to get the most from the incentives. In the lines below, we will discuss some of the most common and lucrative bonuses available to Dutch players:
Deposit Match Bonus
Free Spins
Cashback Bonus
No Deposit Bonus
VIP ProgramBonus Terms
It is essential to read and understand the terms related to each bonus you are considering to claim. Keep in mind that virtual casinos are business entities that are trying to promote their services. In that sense, the Dutch players should know that all promotions come with certain wagering requirements, also known as playthrough or rollover. The bonus funds should be wagered a particular number of times before you are able to withdraw your earnings. Another important thing is the contribution of the games. While staking the bonus, you should keep in mind that different games have a different contribution towards clearing the playthrough. For example, if table games have a 5% contribution, a total bet of $100 will be counted as $5 towards the wagering contribution. To prevent bonus abuse, casinos set a limit on the maximum bet while a bonus is active. Needless to say, each bonus is valid for a certain time.
Furthermore, we should mention that some casinos do not allow players to benefit from the available promotions in case they made a deposit via a certain payment method such as Skrill or Neteller. Last but not least, some operators impose a maximum upper limit on the withdrawals.
Another important thing to mention is that each player is allowed to benefit from the Welcome Bonus only once upon registration. Dutch casino mavens should be also aware of the fact that they can activate only one bonus at a time. There are various ways to claim the bonuses, depending on the casino’s policy. Some require players to use a certain bonus code, while others allow players to claim the bonuses via their accounts. In some cases, you might need to get in touch with the customer support representatives to trigger a bonus.
Popular Software Providers in the Netherlands
The games that a casino offers are developed by third parties, and more precisely software suppliers. When choosing a virtual casino where you can enjoy a fruitful gambling experience, you should have a look at the software providers that power the gaming content of the site. It is the developer that determines all features of the games such as graphics, quality, mobile compatibility, etc.
Needless to say, poor quality is a hitch that makes players look for another web-based casino. Dutch players, on the other hand, are lucky as many casinos facing that market offer games provided by top companies, including but not limited to:
NetEnt
Playtech
Novomatic
Microgaming
BetsoftTop 10 Casinos in the Netherlands
Selecting a web-based casino is not a task to be underestimated. Prior to making any decisions, Dutch players should make sure that the gaming site is fully licensed and abides by the laws. What is more, they should check if the available promotions are worth their attention as some incentives come with sky-high wagering requirements.
Another thing to consider is the user interface of the casino. We would advise our readers to go for gaming sites that feature uncluttered and easy-to-navigate layout. In case you are an aspiring casino enthusiast that resides in the Netherlands, be advised to check the list of casinos that we consider to be a good choice.
BitStarz Casino
Slots Magic Casino
Casumo Casino
LeoVegas Casino
Speedy Casino
SlotV Casino
Casino Joy
Betsson Casino
PlayOJO Casino
Betway Casino