The Netherlands is well known as one of the most progressive and liberal nations in the world. Ever since they gained their independence more than 350 years ago, they have been a bastion of liberty, free trade and personal freedom, something that is deeply ingrained in their culture. Despite their liberal approach on most other aspects of everyday life, however, the Dutch government has remained distrustful of online casino sites in the Netherlands for a lengthy period. Thankfully, the landscape seems to be changing and it is expected that before 2021 there will finally be legal online casinos in the Netherlands with very few restrictions. Before these changes take place, we aim to see how NL casino sites operate, how players can access them and what you should look out when gambling online in the Netherlands.
Netherlands casino spelletjes online facts
- There are no taxes on casino winnings in the Netherlands
- Players are not prosecuted when gambling on NL online casinos
- Many casino sites in the Netherlands do not have a Dutch interface
- You must be at least 18 years old to sign up on a Netherlands casino
- Many well-known casino brands voluntarily do not accept local players
Casino sites in the Netherlands
According to the Dutch gambling law, Casino Holland is the only operator that can legally offer casino games to its patrons, as online casino gambling is yet to be provisioned. This has raised the ire of the European Union Commission that has repeatedly requested from the Netherlands to legally allow Dutch Online Casinos to acquire licenses and start accepting local players. The Dutch parliament agreed in February 2019 to create a gambling environment similar to the UK and Sweden where casino sites can apply for a license by paying a licensing fee of €40.000 along with a 30.1% tax on Gross Gaming Revenue. These changes are set to take place at the start of 2021.
At the time of writing, the local regulatory Authority KSA (Kansspelautoriteit) has not issued a blacklist for international casino sites nor are they stopping Dutch players from joining a casino site in the Netherlands. Regardless, the KSA has fined many brands that insisted on offering their platforms in the Dutch language as a means of protecting the Holland Casino monopoly. This led to the withdrawal of many well-known casinos that wished to avoid any long term repercussions with the KSA when they ultimately apply for online gaming licenses.
Online casino Dutch players
If you are a Dutch player looking for a trusted online casino then you’re in luck. Some of the best online casino Netherlands such as Casino Winner (former Kroon Casino) and Trada Casino accept players from the Netherlands. According to the existing laws the only requirement for signing up on an NL casino is to be at least 18 years old and to be able to verify your ID before you can request your winnings. There are no gambling taxes and online casinos can not refuse registration on grounds of discrimination. Some brands, however, have left the Nederland casino landscape and sadly you can not join them if you reside within the NL. If you wish to create an account on them you will have to use a VPN software and a payment method that is non-traceable to any Dutch banks.
When will international casinos enter the Dutch market?
Like we stated above, the new Dutch Gambling Law is projected to be put into effect at the end of 2020 or the start of 2021. Although we have seen many similar announcements in the past concerning the legality of casinos in the Netherlands, this time we have seen active moves towards regulating the new online casino sites.
How to deposit and withdraw on Netherlands online casinos?
The Netherlands is one of the most progressive countries in terms of banking and online payment solutions. As a result, Dutch players can take a pick from dozens of different deposit and withdrawal options when dealing with casino sites. Major NL banks such as ING, Rabobank and de Volksbank place no restrictions when dealing with online casinos, meaning that you can freely transact with any brands that accept bank transfers.
Of course, ewallets such as Skrill, Neteller, Trustly and PayPal are also frequently used and most Netherlands online casinos will let you deposit & withdraw with no fees. Vouchers such as the PaysafeCard or Entropay can also be used, although you will most likely have to register and verify an account before you can withdraw your money to your bank account. In terms of cryptocurrency, there are no provisions banning the use of Crypto on online casinos for Dutch players, however, very few operators tend to accept Bitcoin or similar coins.
Lastly, we need to make a special mention to iDeal. This payment method is predominant among Dutch gamblers and everyday consumers as it offers a fast and secure way of transacting. The way you pay is by logging in to their website or mobile app and connecting your bank account to iDeal, like any other pay by phone casino Netherlands. You can use it with twelve different NL banks and it is accepted on all the fast payout casinos in the Netherlands.
What can we expect from Netherland’s gambling law changes?
Similar to other countries that decided to license their online gambling sector, we can expect the Netherlands to thrive, both in terms of improving the existing environment and also by attracting some of the biggest online casinos in Europe. This is projected to lead to more stringent marketing regulations that safeguard minors and risk groups. Also, the KSA is set to protect the rights of Dutch players more aggressively than today, as it will be within their rights to fine or revoke a license in case an online casino refuses to follow the Dutch gambling law’s provisions.
What remains uncertain is the scheduled privatization of Casino Holland. In February 2017 the Dutch Lower House met to discuss the sale of Casino Holland’s brick-and-mortar gaming halls and casino for a staggering €1 billion. However, in May 2019 the Ministry of Justice announced that no plans had been set in motion for privatizing Holland Casino as it was impossible for the government to both prepare the environment for the Dutch Gambling Law and adequately handle the privatisation. Although the EU Commission has decided not to intervene to this monopoly we can expect that the Netherlands will be asked to open its brick-and-mortar casino market sooner or later.
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