New Dutch gambling minister commits to research-backed reforms
Arno Rutte eyes potential reforms including changes for land-based slot machine venues.
The Netherlands.- Arno Rutte has outlined his stance on Dutch gambling reforms after taking up the position of secretary of state for legal protection, which includes responsibility for the country’s gambling industry.
Writing to the House of Representatives, Rutte said he will base any upcoming reforms on research. He cited five recent reports. One is the gambling regulator KSA’s report on the impact of the increase in Dutch gambling tax in January, which noted that the tax rise had been counterproductive, leading to a decline in revenue. It is unclear if Rutte’s signalling of this report means there’s a chance he may try to revisit the planned second tax rise in January 2026.
Another report cited is an investigation into possible means testing for online gambling. Rutte also mentioned a report commissioned by the Dutch Scientific Research and Data Centre into possible changes to slot machine regulations.
This latter report says that certain regulations for land-based slots have not been updated since 2000. It suggested that measures could be considered to discourage the high use of cash at land-based slots venues, particularly among older players.
The report cited money laundering and security risks associated with cash gambling but also recognised that cashless gaming presented challenges and could even be more negative for player health. However, the report notes that cashless play can offer benefits if the player card is personalised so the player’s playing behaviour can be monitored and options such as personal playing limits are possible.
The report also identified a gap in player identification requirements at land-based venues. Currently, only casinos and gaming halls require a full ID check, while hospitality venues only check age. However, some have suggested that implementing full identification at all venues could be costly and drive players to unlicensed gambling.
The report also raised the question of whether stake limits should be adjusted for inflation
A member of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, Rutte steps into the position vacated by Teun Struycken in August. Struycken had proposed a series of reforms including rising the minimum age for online slots from 18 to 21. He was also eyeing mandatory financial tests for players who want to increase their deposit limit beyond the limits introduced by the KSA last October. More restrictions for digital ads were also being considered.
It’s not clear if Rutte intends to carry over those proposals into his tenure. Further doubts remain due to the Dutch general election set for October 29.
