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Dutch iGaming Market Flatlines Despite Regulation
By Shane Addinall Jun 01, 2022 IndustryDespite the highly anticipated regulation of online casinos in the Netherlands, the number of players visiting legal casinos has flatlined. Are gambling ads to blame?All around the world, countries have welcomed online gambling and regulated online casinos. For the most part, as online gambling becomes legal, more players spend time at regulated casinos. However, this has not been the case for the Netherlands.
When safe and legal online casinos are available, it only makes sense that responsible players will flock to these sites. Over the last 12 months, players seem to be avoiding legal sites in the Dutch market instead.
New information released by the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) shows that there has been no growth in new players at legal casino sites.
No Growth in the Dutch Market
The stats released by NOGA shows that approximately 11% of legal adults in the Netherlands gambled online over the last year. Measured from 1 October 2021, 78% of those legal adults have played at licensed casino operators.
While these numbers are good, they show no growth from the previous year. The silver lining is that most of those who play online do so safely, and visits to illegal casino sites have dropped. NOGA’s Director, Peter-Paul de Goeij, commented on these numbers, saying:
“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.”
When NOGA asked gamblers how they feel about illegal gambling sites, most players revealed that they considered these sites “too risky”. However, 70% of those surveyed admitted that they couldn’t easily tell a regulated casino from an illegal site. This is despite the large number of gambling ads that run for Dutch players.
Are Gambling Ads to Blame?
In the annual survey known as the Online Gambling Barometer, NAGO revealed that Dutch citizens are more exposed to gambling ads than ever before.
The survey has two groups: those 18 years and older and those who represent the ages 18 to 34 specifically. Over the last year, both groups said that they have seen more gambling ads than in previous years. Many who have seen these ads via TV or the internet stated that they would rather have them restricted to airing after 9pm.
In fact, only 22% of adults who took part in the survey stated that they didn’t mind seeing the ads.
Does this mean that the overexposure to gambling ads is harming the Dutch iGaming industry? With the majority of those in the survey stating that they consider addiction too big a risk to spend much time gambling, responsible gambling ads could be doing their job too well.
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