The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) reported that the rate declined from 51% in the second half of 2024 to 49% in the first half of 2025, describing the drop as a "worrying development" amid ongoing debate over whether Dutch regulations effectively balance the legal market’s appeal with efforts to combat illegal operators.
Player Migration to Unregulated Market
The regulator attributed the decline to players migrating to the illegal market to circumvent new player protection measures, which some perceive as overly restrictive.
“This decline may be explained by players turning to the illegal market to avoid the new player protection rules, which they perceive as restrictive,” the KSA stated.
Impact of Monthly Deposit Limits
Monthly deposit limits per account, introduced at the end of 2024, have contributed to a notable decrease in player spending. Average monthly losses dropped from €146 in the second half of 2024 to €119 in the first half of 2025.
This reduction in player spending drove gross gaming revenue down from €697 million to €600 million during the same period.
Player Account Growth
Despite the revenue decline, the number of player accounts increased from an average of 1.18 million to 1.29 million. Approximately 7.1% of these accounts are newly registered, though the KSA noted that deposit limits influenced this metric as well.
“A single player can have multiple accounts, so the number of accounts does not equal the number of individual gamblers,” the regulator explained.
The KSA estimates that 839,000 active players engaged with licensed operators in the first six months of 2025, representing 5.7% of the adult population—a slight increase from the 5.4% recorded in the previous six-month period.
Young Adult Participation
Young adults aged 18 to 24, a key demographic under KSA oversight, accounted for 23% of all active accounts—a disproportionately high share given they represent only 9.3% of the adult population.
However, this age group loses less money per account than the average adult player, with monthly losses of €37 compared to €78 for adults overall. Young adults show a stronger preference for sports betting relative to the broader player population.
Channelisation Rate Remains Stable
The KSA concluded that the overall channelisation rate remains stable at approximately 94%.
Source: Kansspelautoriteit (KSA)
