A large increase in new customers has yet to materialise, contrary to some expectations. Approximately 11% of the Netherlands’ adult population has gambled online in the past 12 months, roughly the same level when compared to last year. However, of those who have played online since 1 October 2021, 78% have done so with licensed operators.

This means that “Dutch people who previously played online anyway now largely do so in a safe and responsible environment,” said NOGA.

Visits to illegal gambling sites, meanwhile, have decreased “drastically.” It would further appear that most players find gambling at an illegal site “risky,” though 70% of them “do not know how to distinguish a Dutch-licensed provider from an illegal one.”

NOGA also said Dutch citizens are more exposed to adverts for gambling, and that a “large part of the Netherlands” supports “far-reaching restrictions” on such ads.

This information came from the Online Gambling Barometer, an annual survey of the Dutch market conducted by Ipsos on behalf of NOGA.

Commenting on this year’s findings, NOGA’s Director, Peter-Paul de Goeij, remarked: “It appears that the channelling of players towards the legal offer is well underway.

“We must, however, do everything in our power to keep the 78% of players who have already been channelled to the local licensed offer, and make the last 22% that still gamble illegally, choose licensed providers.

“The Barometer also shows that 5% of the Dutch population belongs to the risk group for gambling problems, and among young adults this is 8%.

“It is this group that we must protect as much as possible against the risks that are inherent to gambling. This is only possible if they gamble with providers with a Dutch licence.”