The Netherlands officially delays online gaming launch

Regulated online gambling in Holland is now due to go live on September 1, 2021.

The Netherlands.- The launch of regulated online gaming in the the Netherlands has been put back again, this time due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Dutch regulator Ksa had already confirmed to Focus Gaming News that it expected the government to put the launch back “a few months” due to the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown in the country.

Holland’s minister for legal protection, Sander Dekker, has now officially confirmed that the launch will be put back by two months.

The Remote Gambling Act is now set to come into effect from March 1, 2021, instead of January 1. The launch of regulated online gaming has been put back from July 1 to September 1, 2021.

Dekker said the postponement “creates more space for all parties involved to prepare for the new law coming into effect”.

It’s the second time the date has been pushed back. Online gambling was initially due to launch on January 1, 2021.

Dekker said the decision had been taken after consultation with Ksa and other stakeholders. 

The Netherlands has already notified the European Commission of elements of its online gambling regulation and is awaiting approval.

The legislation includes requirements on addiction prevention, player-set maximum credit allowances on each account, technical standards and requirements on record-holding and reporting.

The Netherlands’ proposed framework will restrict bonuses while advertising, including sending promotional material direct to players, will be limited to the hours between 9pm and 6am.