Dutch Gambling Market Shrank 2025 Due to Online Decline

Current state of the Dutch gambling market 2025 - 2026

The licensed Dutch gambling market shrank in 2025. This is mainly due to a decline in the online sector, according to the annual market scan by the Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, Ksa). The Ksa has also released its semi-annual monitoring report on online gambling for the first half of 2026. Among other findings, the report shows that the number of online gambling accounts is increasing.

Total GGR declined in 2025

Every year, the Ksa publishes an overview of the licensed gambling market for the preceding year (2025). The total Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR — stakes minus payouts) for the entire market (both online and land-based) fell from €4.5 billion in 2024 to €4.1 billion in 2025. This decrease in 2025 was primarily driven by a drop in GGR among online operators: GGR for online casino offerings decreased by 18.2%, and for online sports betting by as much as 30.2%. These declines are at least partly attributable to various measures introduced at the end of 2024 to better protect participants, such as the net deposit limit. Furthermore, the men's FIFA World Cup took place in 2024, which had driven sports betting GGR higher that year.

In the land-based market, the 2025 GGR for slot machines in gaming arcades and hospitality venues decreased slightly by 4.7% compared to 2024. Conversely, Holland Casino saw its GGR increase by 2.8% in 2025. This rise was mainly generated by its slot machines rather than its table games (for which Holland Casino is particularly known). GGR for the various lotteries also experienced a slight decline of 1.8% compared to the previous year.

Monitoring Report

Simultaneously with the Market Scan, the Ksa has released its Monitoring Report, providing an overview of the online market during the first half of 2026. In addition to GGR, the report examines other relevant figures, such as the average loss per participant, the number of accounts, and the channelization rate.

Growth in the number of accounts

In the first half of 2026, the number of online gambling accounts rose to 1.48 million, up from 1.38 million six months prior. This is notable because the total number of people who gamble has not increased significantly; the Ksa estimates this figure to be around 490,000 per month. Not everyone gambles every month: in the first half of 2026, approximately 820,000 people gambled online at least once. The increase in new accounts may be partly driven by the men's World Cup, which began in June, but it could also indicate that individuals are creating multiple accounts to bypass deposit limits per account.

The monitoring report also shows that channelization—the percentage of people who gamble legally—appears to have stabilized. Approximately 94% of people who gamble do so exclusively through legal providers. When looking at channelization based on GGR, it is estimated to have risen slightly in the first half of 2026 compared to the second half of 2025, moving from 54% to 59%. The discrepancy between participant-based and GGR-based channelization suggests that individuals who gamble illegally suffer significantly higher average losses than those who use legal platforms.

Gambling-related harm

Figures on gambling addiction included in the monitoring report originate from the National Alcohol and Drugs Information System (LADIS) and therefore pertain to the year 2025, unlike the rest of the monitor. In 2025, over 14% more people were in treatment for a gambling addiction compared to 2024. The monitor also incorporates data from Ipsos regarding the risk levels of gambling participants. In 2026, the number of people at high risk of gambling harm remained stable, the number of low-risk individuals increased, and the number of moderate-risk individuals decreased. Ipsos estimates that 65% of online gamblers exhibit non-problematic behavior, a percentage identical to 2025.