Dutch regulator sets new deposit limits for safer gambling from October 1

The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), announced new deposit limits on Monday as part of an amended Responsible Gaming Policy Rule aimed at creating a safer market for young people. The policy, published in the Netherlands’ Official Gazette, includes deposit limits of €300 ($325) for players aged 18-24 and €700 ($760) for players over 24, effective from October 1.

KSA hailed the new rules as a "major step" in promoting responsible gambling among young players. The policy rule comes into immediate effect, but the deposit limits will be enforced from 1 October to allow for necessary IT adjustments and the recruitment of new employees to oversee the changes.

Under the new regulations, operators must conduct financial checks when young players deposit €300 or more and when players over 24 deposit €700 or more. If a player cannot afford the amount, further deposits will be blocked for the remainder of the month. Exceptions to the €300 limit for young players can be made in specific cases, such as professional poker players needing higher deposits for tournaments.

The amended policy also mandates stricter "real-time" monitoring of player behavior. Operators, both land-based and online, must intervene within one hour of detecting potentially harmful gambling behavior, such as excessive participation.

This monitoring must be active 24/7. Indicators of harmful gambling include gambling for extended hours at night, continuous betting, and repeated deposits. Gambling for more than six hours a day is considered a sign of potential harm.

“With this policy rule, the Gaming Authority aims to further flesh out the laws and regulations that apply to the recruitment and advertising activities of license holders and to the addiction prevention policy and its implementation by license holders, where applicable,” reads the policy in the Official Gazette.

The new rules follow a September 2023 study by KSA into the duty of care practices of ten operators. The study revealed that licensees were not always intervening with at-risk players in a timely manner. Coupled with recent amendments to gambling ad rules and the role model ban, the findings prompted KSA to draft the new policy, which was refined through a consultation round that gathered 33 responses from operators, trade bodies, and addiction experts.

These changes are part of the Netherlands' broader efforts to tighten gambling regulations. In May, a coalition agreement proposed increasing gambling tax from 30.5% to 37.8%. In April, the House of Representatives voted to ban both online gambling advertising and "high-risk" online gambling, including slots. Recent research by Keurmerk Responsible Affiliates (KVA) found that illegal operators were accepting bets from minors, prompting calls for a rigorous response from KSA.