Netherlands: Slots and gambling advertising soon to be completely banned?

In April, the Dutch House of Representatives voted in favour of a ban on online advertising for games of chance and even a complete ban on slots. In fact, the majority of those involved were in favour of banning all forms of targeted promotions on the internet and also in favour of banning slot machines. The latter are regarded as ‘high-risk games’.

The Netherlands is generally regarded as a very liberal and tolerant country. However, when it comes to online gambling, they don't take a joke there. We have reported on the sometimes strict rules on several occasions in the past. Only recently, a draft law was presented according to which the limits for Dutch gamblers under the age of 23 are to be restricted to 5.35 euros per day from October of this year. Very strict limits are also planned for older gamblers. Furthermore, gambling advertising has been heavily regulated in the Netherlands since 2023. Untargeted advertising and adverts on TV, radio or in public spaces are no longer permitted.

The corresponding regulations have now been tightened once again. As recently reported in the specialised press, the Dutch House of Representatives voted in favour of a ban on online advertising for games of chance and very high-risk games of chance, which primarily include slots.

A ban on online gambling advertising has already been proposed several times

Both the motion to ban online gambling advertising and the call for a ban on slot machines were tabled by Social Democrat MEP Michiel van Nispen. According to the press, both received ‘just enough’ support for a majority.

A motion by MP Derk Boswijk in favour of a complete ban on gambling advertising was submitted back in February 2024. However, this did not receive enough votes. Further scrutiny was therefore ruled out. Van Nispen took up many of Boswijk's arguments and made a new attempt with his request in April. This time, the request was accepted with a narrow majority of 77 votes.

Whether it will actually go through remains to be seen in a subsequent review process.
The new proposal aims to exclude all forms of online advertising, including all targeted adverts. This follows the ban on non-targeted advertising in the Netherlands, which we reported on back in July 2023 (as described above). As a result, mass advertising on radio, television, at outdoor locations and in print media has been banned. Sports sponsorship is also affected by the ban. However, a transitional period applies to existing contracts.

Online slot machines soon to be history in the Netherlands?

The second motion submitted by Van Nispen relates to - as reported in the press - ‘online gambling with a demonstrably very high risk’. According to the politician and his party, a complete ban on gambling should be imposed, with online slot machines serving as the main example of correspondingly dangerous offers. The reason for this is that players have no control over the outcome of such games. A majority of 79 MEPs voted in favour of the motion.

Despite this clear majority of those in favour of such a ban, the ban is not yet a done deal. The issue must first be enshrined in law. It is now up to Franc Weerwind, the Minister for Legal Protection in the Netherlands, to review the proposal or draft and approve it if necessary.

In the past, Weerwind has spoken out strongly in favour of responsible gambling. However, he never explicitly expressed a desire for bans. Nevertheless, he is considered a ‘hardliner’ to a certain extent. In December 2023, he announced new measures to protect players. These include requiring providers to contact customers who have set a monthly deposit limit of 350 euros (the standard maximum for gambling fans in the Netherlands who are 24 years or older). Operators are obliged to inform these people about the risks of gambling with such ‘high amounts’.

Experts are certain: a slot ban would result in significant tax losses and a boom in the black market

If a ban on slot machines were to actually come into force, this would inevitably have considerable negative consequences for the regulated industry: the international trade press and recognised experts are certain of this. In particular, this would have a major impact on state revenues. Money from the online casino sector would plummet. The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the country's gambling supervisory authority, estimated in a recent monitoring report that online casinos currently account for 77 per cent of total gambling turnover. As slots are also by far the most popular casino games in the Netherlands, there is unlikely to be much left of the market if these games are cancelled.

Conclusion

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