Dutch gambling trade groups launch portal to help tackle illegal operators

Two Dutch gambling trade bodies have unveiled a new reporting system aimed at combatting illegal online gambling, as concerns mount over player safety and the effectiveness of current regulations.  

The platform, Meld Vals Spel, launched on November 25, allows stakeholders to flag illegal gambling practices and is accessible to members of the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA), Vergunde Nederlandse Online Kansspelaanbieders (VNLOK), licensed operators, and other professional entities.  

The tool provides a means to report unsafe practices on illegal gambling platforms, including lack of player protection, excessive bonuses, and failure to block underage players. The data gathered will be shared with the Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), as well as policymakers and social media platforms, to ensure violators are held accountable.  

“Licensed providers of online gambling have a joint responsibility to offer players a legal, safe, and responsible offer. This often goes well, but it can also be improved. We are working hard on this every day,” said Helma Lodders, chair of VNLOK, and Eric Konings, acting director of NOGA, in a joint statement.  

The initiative aligns with the KSA’s mission to curb unlicensed gambling, which has remained a persistent challenge. Lodders and Konings noted that illegal operators often exploit search terms like “playing without limits” to attract self-excluded and vulnerable players.  

Recent research by Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates estimates that 270,000 Dutch consumers access illegal gambling websites via Google each month. Many of these platforms specifically target players excluded through the Dutch self-exclusion system, Cruks.

“These types of illegal practices endanger the safety of players and must be tackled firmly,” the statement added.  

The launch of the portal comes amid concerns over the effectiveness of the Netherlands’ gambling regulations. While the KSA reports a 95% channelization rate for legal operators, other metrics suggest the figure may be closer to 87%, with significant spending still occurring on illegal platforms.  

A recent review of the Remote Gambling Act, marking three years since its implementation, highlighted shortcomings in responsible gambling measures, spending limits, and enforcement against illegal operators.  

Legal operators are also facing mounting pressures, including a ban on untargeted advertising and increased taxes, which have driven some companies out of the market. Flutter’s Tombola and LiveScore Bet are among the latest exits, with LiveScore Group CEO Sam Sadi noting this month that the increased tax rate "simply meant the Netherlands was no longer viable as a market.”