Netherlands plans to increase online gambling age to 21

In December 2023, Netherland’s state secretary for legal protection Teun Struycken stated that he was working on an updated policy that he hoped to present by March 2024, including a raised age limit for online slots. The government published its findings in November after a review, claiming that the bill “failed” at keeping players safe and responsible.

On February 14, 2025, Struychken announced an update to the bill with a “special attention is paid to minors and young adults” in an attempt to encourage safer gambling behaviors.

Netherlands could see raised age limit for online gambling, slots

In an attempt to pass the newly revised Remote Gambling Act, Struycken has included the idea of increasing the minimum age of “risky” online gambling like slots to 21 years old. Other changes include a deposit limit to deter people from risking too much money at once, as well as greater restrictions on advertising related to slots and general gambling play online to “limit” the appeal of online gambling.

“For me, the most important starting point is protecting all citizens from gambling-related harm,” Struycken said. “In doing so, I go beyond preventing addiction and also look at other harm that participation in gambling can cause, such as debts. It is necessary to protect all people, especially those who have not yet come into contact with gambling or who have stopped gambling. In doing so, I focus in particular on minors and young adults.”

Another are of focus focus for the Remote Gambling Act is to better address illegal online gambling activities with European policy makers. Struycken hopes this will bring about safer gambling at the international level, in addition to its potential effects in the Netherlands.

Deposit limits prove effective in Netherlands

The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has already implemented deposit limits in the country that Struycken is hoping to further regulate with the Remote Gambling Act.

Deposit limits are currently set at the equivalent of $325 for players who are 18 to 24 years old and around $733 for players over 24. It’s also mandatory for players to contact betting companies before they can set deposit limits of more than $366 per month (or $157 for young adults).

A study conducted after this deposit limit was implemented showed that it effectively improved player protections after the first four months. Players were losing less money, though it also consequently saw legal gambling operators’ revenue drop 10%. While the KSA believes that players could try to circumvent the deposit limit with additional accounts or visiting illegal operations, the number of players gambling illegally still seemed low at the time, according to the reporting.

The Scientific Research and Data Center (WODC) still claims that these limits are “inadequate.” This is where Struycken’s bill comes in, hoping to create even greater regulations focused particularly on minors and younger gambler