Industry association expresses cautious welcome of proposed Dutch gambling reforms

NOGA awaits more details on certain aspects of the proposed legislative reforms.

The Netherlands.- The gambling reforms proposed by state secretary for legal protection Teun Struycken have found a perhaps unlikely supporter. The Dutch online gambling association NOGA has expressed support, but says it wants more details on the proposal to raise the minimum age for online slots.

Struycken intends to produce draft legislative amendments by the end of the year to raise the age limit for “riskier” online casino games from 18 to 21. Other reforms are expected to include a universal deposit limit, with affordability checks to be required for players who want to increase their personal limit.

There will also be a new duty of care framework and new gambling advertising restrictions. The government is exploring whether these could be introduced earlier without waiting for the legislative update. Meanwhile, the Dutch gambling regulator, the KSA, expects to receive new powers to tackle unlicensed operators.

KSA chairman Michael Groothuizen has expressed some concerns about raising the age limit for online slots, suggesting that it could push younger players to the black market where they will have no player protection. NOGA has echoed those concerns, but it says it is generally supportive of Struycken’s proposals.

Eric Konings, director of the trade body, said: “The members of NOGA stand for a safe and responsible gambling offer. That is why we support the idea of no longer just putting addiction prevention at the centre of gambling policy, but striving to prevent gambling-related damage. Gambling should be a source of entertainment, not a source of problems.

“A number of the Cabinet’s policy intentions, such as raising the minimum age to 21, can further strengthen the flight towards the illegal market that is currently taking way. However, we are waiting for the further elaboration of this before we can give a detailed response to it.

“We fully endorse the view of this Cabinet that the protection of citizens is a shared responsibility of all parties that may influence that protection. We will therefore continue to make an effort to achieve an attractive, safe and responsible gambling offer in cooperation with all those involved.”